The Spaniard's biographer and confidant Paco Lloret says Rafa does not want to leave Merseyside - but admits the parallels with his final year back in Spain are unmistakable.
"Rafa is very professional, but he does not like anybody interfering with his work.
"He doesn't just want control on the pitch or in training - it is also what hotels the team stays in, what food they eat, what clothes they wear and where they go for their training camps.
"But now the new owners have come in, they have different ideas on how to do things and suddenly there is a distance between the manager and the board.
"It is very similar to what happened at Valencia."
Lloret insists Benitez wants to stay for the long haul - and will not walk away.
He said: "Rafa loves a challenge. He wanted to be the first Spanish coach to work in the Premier League and he believes absolutely that he will be the first Spanish coach to win it.
"He has more faith in his methods than anyone can realise. He is totally convinced that he can triumph with Liverpool.
"The impression we get in Spain is that the club's owners do not want him to stay.
"But Rafa will not surrender. He's very English like that."
