A Champions League semi-final against the team from Stamford Bridge once again pits Liverpool's manager against Jose Mourinho, a fellow coach with whom he seems to have taken to trading psychological, albeit subtle, insults in the past couple of years.
"We were good friends until we started beating them," joked Benítez, who routinely talks about the millions Mourinho has spent at Chelsea whenever the Portuguese makes digs about Liverpool's purported "long ball" style or "direct" approach. "It's the same with all the top managers he [Mourinho] has a very good relationship with them until they start to beat him. He has a great relationship with all the managers he beats."
Mourinho will want revenge for their controversial two-leg defeat two years ago in this competition and Benítez, whose side won the trophy in 2005, said: "Chelsea cannot change what happened two years ago even if they do not accept it."
Not that repeating the feat will exactly be easy for Liverpool. "We will be confident - as the manager of Liverpool you must always have belief that you will win," Benítez said. "But Chelsea are a very good team who have spent a lot of money on some very good players; by spending a lot of money over a few years they have a very strong squad."
But the Merseysiders surely have the favourable draw on the road to a potential glory night in Athens. "We play the second leg at Anfield and, if we can do something at Stamford Bridge, then maybe we will have an advantage, but we know it will be difficult football," added Benítez, who remains confident that Craig Bellamy's injury "does not seem too serious - although we will know more tomorrow".
As a Spaniard who worked in La Liga when it was the envy of Europe, Benítez feels the European power balance has now shifted England's way. "To see three English teams in the semi-finals means that the Premiership is really, really strong," he said. "I think it's the best league in Europe now - and it's really, really important we show that the Premiership is really strong in the semi-finals."
The take of Ronald Koeman, PSV's manager, was that English clubs are rather rich right now. "Getting to the quarter-finals is a success for a small club like PSV," said the man whose side put Arsenal out of this season's Champions League and, last season, steered Benfica to a first-round knock-out stage victory over Liverpool. "English clubs have the money but they also have some very good players and some very good coaches," he added.
"England is very strong at the moment. I think it's a great success of English football to have three semi-finalists. It means you have at least one English team in the final, it's a success for England."
Not that a man schooled in Dutch total football is entirely enamoured of the Anglo-Saxon modus operandi. "Liverpool deserved the result more than us but they are very difficult to play against and keep a lot of men behind the ball," added the former Ajax and Barcelona defender.
Peter Crouch, the scorer of the winning goal, had a subtle message for those who think he may not be at Liverpool next season, after Benítez spends some of the George Gillett and Tom Hicks millions. "I've got a few goals in the Champions League this season and I'm happy with my form. Hopefully we can keep our form going in the semi-final and make it really special."
There will certainly be one unusually interested spectator at Stamford Bridge. "My dad, Bruce, is a Chelsea season-ticket holder and the game down there is local for him," he added. "So, hopefully, it will be a special night."
Steve McClaren, meanwhile, the beleaguered England manager who watched from the directors' box, must have driven across the Pennines to his north Yorkshire home pondering the paradox that has seen his country produce three Champions League semi-finalists and a national side who, on recent form, might struggle in the Championship.
Tanned from a recent holiday in Las Vegas, he must be shivering inside.