RAFAEL BENITEZ has claimed ‘everything changed’ at Liverpool last season and that he will return to the city one day.

The Spaniard left Anfield by mutual consent earlier this month after a disappointing campaign in which his team finished seventh in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League just a year after narrowly missing out on the league title.

Reflecting on his six years on Merseyside, the new Inter Milan manager claims his final year at Anfield was made difficult due to changes of personnel at the club.

“This year everything changed from the beginning,” said Benitez.

“The people in the club changed and then the approach was different.

“Clearly there was the question of controlling the money we could or couldn’t spend. From the beginning of the season everything was different to in the past. We were so close to winning the title the season before. Everybody was expecting us to do something more. But we had problems from the beginning with injuries and performances. That led to a bit of frustration and you could see the atmosphere at the club was different at the end of the season.

“Now, during the summer, you can see the fans are not very happy.

“I enjoyed the first five years especially but the last year was more difficult. But the memories after six years have been really good overall.”

Despite a strained relationship with the club’s owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Benitez describes his sadness at his departure and paid tribute to the Liverpool supporters.