'Benitez isn't a defensive coach, he's a tactician', says Mata

The Spaniard had nothing but praise for the current Real Madrid coach saying that despite having spent the last two seasons with the Red Devils, he spent his best year at Chelsea, "I had a fantastic experience with him. It was my best year in England, in a year in which I achieved my best stats. It gave me great confidence in my own game, and feel important within the team.

"[Benitez] is a very tactical manager, but not defensive. He prepares very tactically for all his makes, it's something you need to know how to manage as a player as well. He's a manager that when the game needs attacking, he will attack with everything...similarly when you need to defend he does that as well. He understands very well what can determine a match."

He also spoke out about Chelsea striker Diego Costa who is currently serving a three-match-ban for an incident involving Arsenal's Gabriel Paulista: "It's very difficult to come up against him, I prefer him as a team mate rather than an opponent. His movements and how he always scores goals generate problems, also they way he is always battling with the midfield.

"Playing as a striker within a national team like ours, with so many midfielders, isn't easy at all. He has to adapt and above all be very patient, because he will go a lot of time without the ball apart from attempting a shot on goal. It's very complicated, but players like Villa or Torres did it very well, but like I said it's difficult for strikers to come and adapt themselves."