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Head-To-Head: Rafa v Ronald
Written by Newcastle Utd
Managers Rafa Benitez and Ronald Koeman face each other for the first time in domestic competition on Saturday
By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez will face a Ronald Koeman team for the first time in domestic competition this weekend when the Magpies make the long trip to Southampton.
The crucial Barclays Premier League clash at St. Mary's sees the two managers compete for the first time in almost a decade.
When Benitez first sent a team out against a Koeman side, the Spaniard was manager of Liverpool, while Holland hero Koeman was in the Benfica hot seat.
The two teams met in the Champions League in the 2005/06 season and, on that occasion, Koeman got the better of proceedings. The first leg of their last 16 tie ended 1-0 to the Potuguese giants at the Estadio da Luz, with Luisao heading the only goal of the game past Pepe Reina.
Two former Magpies were in action in that game - Laurent Robert started for Benfica, while Dietmar Hamann appeared as a substitute for Liverpool.
And the former Barcelona man got the better of Benitez in the return leg, too. Winger Sabrosa Simao and Fabrizio Miccoli struck at Anfield to send the Portuguese club through to the quarter-finals in place of Benitez's holders, where they were beaten by Barcelona, who went on to lift the trophy.
The following season, in 2006/07, the pair met in the Champions League once again. Koeman, by then in charge of PSV Eindhoven, welcomed Benitez's Liverpool to the Phillips Stadion for a Group C clash, which ended 0-0.
However, in the reverse fixture on Wednesday, 22nd November, 2006, Benitez beat Koeman for the first time as the Reds ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Steven Gerrard and Peter Crouch.
Liverpool and PSV found themselves in opposition again in the knockout stage of that year's competition. After seeing off Barcelona in the round of 16, Benitez's men beat PSV 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter final in Holland. Captain Gerrard, John Arne Riise and Crouch scored the goals as Liverpool all but secured their place in the semi-final with 90 minutes still to play.
The second leg proved to be little more than a formality, as Crouch tapped in Robbie Fowler's cross in the second half to seal the win.
Benitez would guide Liverpool to another Champions League final that season after they beat Chelsea in the last four, but - unlike the famous final of 2005 - this time it was AC Milan who picked up the trophy in Athens after a 2-1 win.
Koeman left the Philips Stadion early on in the 2007/08 campaign to join Valencia - the club Benitez guided to two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup earlier that decade.
Rafa's record v Ronald Koeman
Played: 6
Won: 3
Drawn: 1
Lost: 2