After previously being accused of trying to tell Cristiano Ronaldo how to take free-kicks, former Real Madrid manager Rafael Benitez has now hit back at the claims.

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The Spanish tactician spent just eight months in charge of Los Blancos following his appointment in 2015, a run of 25 games of which he won 17, drew five and lost three times.

During his time with the European giants, Benitez was said to have encouraged Ronaldo, who would go on to become the club's all-time top goalscorer, to reconsider his free-kick technique following a poor run of form from dead-ball situations.

In a recent interview, however, the 59-year-old denied that he tried to tell the Portuguese superstar how to take free-kicks, but did admit that he went over footage of the Portugal captain's incredible set-piece goals from his time at Manchester United with the talisman.

"That's a lie. At no time did I tell him how he had to take them," Benitez told Marca.

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"The only conversation I had with Cristiano about free-kicks was in Australia, during pre-season.

"I told him we had analysed, together with my goalkeeper coach, the free-kicks he took when he was at Manchester United and the trajectory of the ball in relation to the position of the wall.

"Our idea then, as Liverpool coaches, was to try to counter their (United's) free-kicks. But that's it. At no time, as coach of Madrid, did I tell Ronaldo how free-kicks should be taken."

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Ronaldo scored 25 goals and assisted a further eight strikes in 24 games under Benitez at Real.

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