Jose Mourinho labelled himself "the special one", but after Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League Rafael Benitez has proved he can be considered the equal of any manager in European football.
Even the most hardened Liverpool supporter would not have dreamt this possible at the start of this season - the club's first European Cup final in 20 years.
In steering them there Benitez has elevated his own reputation into the stratosphere.
Having led Valencia to two La Liga titles in three years and a Uefa Cup victory, he has taken a Liverpool side few expected to get past Juventus or Chelsea to Europe's biggest club stage.
The unassuming and softly-spoken Spaniard is almost the complete opposite of Chelsea's Mourinho, who has stolen the headlines all season with his arrogant predictions.
But by outwitting his rival Benitez has shown his quiet effectiveness and placed Steven Gerrard on the horns of a dilemma.
Liverpool's captain, who publicly doubted his team's chances of winning this competition earlier in the season, was widely expected to quit Anfield for Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Now the Reds, his boyhood club, have proved they can match and better their monied London rivals on the biggest platform, so why switch?
And if Gerrard faces a tricky decision, who would be Brian Barwick?
The newly-installed chief executive of the Football Association hails from the red side of Merseyside, but will now have to make a decision that places his head in direct opposition to his heart.
Liverpool are 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League.
Forget for a second that they will face AC Milan. Nobody said they could beat Juventus; no-one thought they could see off Chelsea.
If they do win it and finish outside the top four in the Premiership, the FA has decided they will not get a chance to defend a trophy they would have claimed in storybook fashion.
The Reds' only hope now is a late intervention by Uefa to hand a fifth Champions League place to English clubs.
 |  We need to enjoy this and we'll watch Wednesday's game in comfort |
But more than anything, this is about Liverpool being restored to their mantle as one of Europe's greatest club sides.
Not for two decades has Anfield witnessed a glory night like this, and few outside Goodison Park would begrudge them their moment.
Benitez has inherited an under-performing set of players, added some Iberian flair and harnessed it all with Gerrard, the throbbing heartbeat of Liverpool Football Club.
It would be premature to compare the current Liverpool side with the all-conquering sides of the 1970s and '80s.
But in Benitez they appear to have a manager capable of repeating the feats of Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish.
He has wiped the memory of those years under Graeme Souness, Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier when the major honours eluded them.
It will be the Rossoneri who face the Reds in the final - two great old clubs of the west doing battle in Istanbul, gateway to the mysterious east.
They are two teams with great European pedigree - AC Milan have won six trophies compared to Liverpool's four.
Benitez has the luxury of sitting back with a glass of Spanish Rioja to watch Wednesday's semi-final knowing he awaits the winner.
This son of Madrid has earned himself a special place in Liverpudlians' hearts - and given Gerrard and, not least, Milan, plenty to think about.
MMIX
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