CESAR Azpilicueta will be sad to see Rafa Benitez leave Chelsea at the end of the season.

Benitez has already confirmed he will leave Stamford Bridge this summer following the expiration of his interim managerial contract.

It will be the second time Azpilicueta has seen a new boss sweep through the Blues exit door since joining the club from Marseille in August 2012 for a fee of £7million.

Roberto Di Matteo was sacked as manager just a few months after his arrival and that heralded the arrival of Azpilicueta's compatriot Benitez on a short-term deal.

He has nailed down a first-team spot at Chelsea since Benitez took control and realised his dream of playing for Spain following a call-up to the national set-up in February – his first ever cap.

Azpilicueta is grateful for the opportunities afforded to him by his fellow Spaniard but is also aware that the Stamford Bridge decision makers will not stand still during the close-season.

He said: “It’s easier to have the same [manager], it’s true. We need to be focussed on our job and the club make the decision about the manager. We have to do our job on the pitch and if we win, and we win trophies, we will have the same manager for years.

“He [Benitez] gave me a lot of confidence. He tries to do his best with the team and spent seven months with Chelsea trying to do his best. Afterwards, life continues and we need to keep going.

“I started playing in the last month with Robbie [Di Matteo]. When he [Benitez] came here I learned a lot of things in terms of tactics, my position, and how to read the game the best way. I played my first game with the national team this year so he’s a very important manager for me.”

Chelsea take on Aston Villa on Saturday as they look to make mathematically certain of securing Champions League football for next season.

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