Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez insists he is not surprised to see how Newcastle United old boys Gini Wijnaldum and Moussa Sissoko have gone from relegation with the Magpies to the Champions League final.
The pair were both part of Benitez's side who failed to beat the drop from the Premier League when they finished 18th in 2015/16.
Although ex-Reds boss Benitez stuck around at St James' Park to lead the club straight back up to the top flight a year later, midfielders Wijnaldum and Sissoko both departed as part of a summer clear-out.
Dutchman Wijnaldum joined Liverpool for £23million in July while Tottenham Hotspur paid £30million for Sissoko on the August 31 transfer deadline day with the French international not having played any of Newcastle's six matches to date during the fledgling campaign up to that point.
With the former team-mates now set to come up against each other in the Champions League final in his home city of Madrid, Benitez – the last Liverpool manager to lift the European Cup for the club back in 2005 – reckons the duo were always destined to go on to better things.
Asked if if Newcastle fans might be surprised that Sissoko and Wijnaldum have played crucial roles in helping their respective teams to the Champions League final, considering they were relegated with Newcastle, Benitez said: “I don't think so. The fans they know that they are both good players. It depends on the environment, it depends on the moment, it depends on the situation of each player.
“You can't blame anyone, you can't blame the club, you can't blame me, you can't blame anyone because they wanted to go because they had offers - good offers - and they wanted to stay in the Premier League.
“It is not fair for me to talk only about Sissoko but he is in the final and I am really pleased. I am still in contact with him and Gini.
“They were good players for us but we were relegated and they had offers. Sometimes players do not get offers when they are relegated.
“They did and I am telling you Sissoko had three very good ones, including one very important one. That is good for them because you go down and have top sides interested in you.
“Maybe they were not fine here because the team was not doing well. But they have the skill and the pace. You cannot complain or say anything negative about what they did here.”
Benitez maintains that both Wijnaldum and Sissoko remain committed team players and neither had their 'heads turned' before their time at St James' Park was up – something he cannot say about some of their other colleagues at the time.
He added: “I'm telling you that three or four other players [yes]... but I can tell you these two, and I will not name anyone else, but these two were really good professionals from day one until the last minute.
“You think about one thing, who was the captain for us at this time? Sissoko. I made him the captain because he was a really good professional who kept everybody working hard.
“I understand the feelings of some fans who see them playing well or badly, that's one thing, but both players were good professionals.
“If you play in a very good team, it's easy. You will play better in this team. It's very clear that with better players around, some players will be better, and you can't question the level of Spurs or Liverpool.”
