Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez moved quickly to make a fan's day after learning nine-year-old Harry Rennell had lost tickets worth £300.

On reading the story, Benitez, himself the doting father of two girls, contacted the Daily Mail and offered Harry and his father two tickets for Chelsea's Capital One League Cup semi-final, first-leg tie against Swansea on January 9.

Harry's delighted father Tony said: "Thank you, Rafa. There has been a very sympathetic response.

"One Chelsea fan has invited us to go as his guest to the QPR game on Wednesday, and we'll be there to cheer them on.

"What is great is that nine year-old Harry now knows that, although some people may let us down in life, there are always others who will step forward to do the right thing."

Doing the right thing may soften some Chelsea supporters' view of their interim manager, but it's not the first example of kind-hearted Benitez showing the grander side of football.

Hearing a pensioner had been mugged on the Wirral, then Liverpool manager Benitez made sure the elderly fan and his family were guests at Anfield.

On his departure from Liverpool, the 52-year-old gave a 'substantial five-figure sum' to the parents of Rhys Jones, the young Everton fan who was shot dead as he returned from football training in August 2007.

Benitez also donated £96,000 to the Hillsborough Memorial Fund and gave a further £2,800 to aid running costs through his wife Montse's foundation.