Speak his name in some parts of Europe, and Fernando Morientes is heralded as something of a godly figure. Ask for an opinion in Zaragoza, and he will be spoken of as a prolific finisher in two seasons during the mid-90s, scoring 28 league goals before the age of 22. At Real Madrid, he is remembered fondly for a seven year spell with the club, during which time he struck up a deadly partnership with Raul Blanco for club and country, on their way to European Cup success. And at Monaco, he will always be remembered as the loan signing who fired nine goals in 12 Champions League games including three against parent club Real Madrid on their way to an unprecedented final. At Liverpool, however, and his name will be greeted with nothing but disdain. Following that terrific spell at Monaco, where he pummelled some of the European bigwigs with his knock-out blows, including Claudio Ranieris Chelsea, he was one of Europes hottest prospects. A victim of the revolving door policy at the Santiago Bernabeu, Rafa Benitez could smell another bargain from La Liga and returned in the winter of 2005. Signed for £7.3 million, it took him a matter of days to get on the score-sheeting, arrowing a 25 yard cracker into the upright at the Valley. However, only two more would follow for the remainder of the season, before finding the back of the net on five occasions throughout the entirety of the following campaign. In 60 appearances for the Reds, he had managed to find the back of the net on 12 occasions a far cry from the Spaniard who had forged a reputation as one of Europes deadliest strikers in recent seasons.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
