Rafael Benitez: Real Madrid president gives boss full support
Rafael Benitez: Real Madrid president gives boss full
support
Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez has been told he
retains the club's full backing following the 4-0 home
defeat by Barcelona.
Benitez, 55, was only appointed in the summer, but fans
chanted for him to be sacked after Saturday's match.
Following a board meeting on Monday, club president
Florentino Perez said: "He has all our support and
confidence.
"Rafa has only just started his job here. Let him keep
working and he will achieve his objectives."
Perez added he could "only talk about this moment".
He said: "I cannot say what will happen in the future. No-one
can say what will happen in six months."
Relive Real Madrid's 4-0 thrashing at the hands of
Barcelona
Gareth Bale not thinking of English return
The 68-year-old rejected suggestions striker Cristiano
Ronaldo, the Spanish club's record goalscorer, had told him
he is unhappy playing under Benitez.
"Ronaldo has never said anything to me about Benitez," he
said.
Perez - who returned to the club in 2009 having resigned as
president in 2006 - was also a target for angry fans on
Saturday.
He said he understood their disappointment but asked them
to display "more than ever" their "support to the team and
to the players".
Real's next game is at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions
League on Wednesday, followed by an away game against
Eibar in La Liga on Sunday.
'Benitez is a buffer for Perez'
Benitez succeeded Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, with Perez
describing him as "a man who breathes football,
professionalism and the very ethos of our club".
Saturday's defeat leaves Real third in La Liga, six points
adrift of leaders Barcelona and two behind with city rivals
Atletico Madrid.
Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter told BBC Radio 5
live: "This is a proper crisis, when you are humiliated in that
manner, and not for the first time in recent times.
"Perez only had two options and the one he is taking is to
back Benitez. If he was to sack him, where does he go?
"Even when Perez resigned, things weren't as bad as this
between him and the fans.
"There are two reasons he hasn't sacked Benitez; he doesn't
have anyone to replace him and also because the manager
is a buffer. At the moment, when things go badly, Benitez
will draw the criticism and is in the way of the president."
Why is Benitez under pressure?
Saturday's game was not the first time Benitez's approach
has been questioned this season.
He was heavily criticised for adopting negative tactics in the
1-1 derby draw against Atletico Madrid last month, while a
ragged performance in a 3-2 loss at Sevilla a fortnight ago
was similarly scorned by fans and media.
After controversially replacing the popular Ancelotti in the
summer, Benitez has been accused of failing to develop
good relationships with his key players.
An article in Monday's Marca newspaper said the squad had
lost faith in the former Liverpool boss.
Another report said players have taken to privately mocking
their manager over his modest playing career and
supposedly incomprehensible tactical instructions.
They refer to him as 'number 10' - traditionally the
intelligent playmaker who can read the game and see the
spaces, things they do not think Benitez can do.
Ronaldo's relationship with the coach has come under
particular scrutiny, while Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez,
Isco and Karim Benzema are thought to be unhappy with the
manager.
Like Ronaldo, fellow forward Gareth Bale has been linked
with Manchester United following a mixed start to the
season.
One consolation for Benitez is that much of the post-match
criticism has focused on Perez, who has been accused by
fans of meddling in team selection and constructing an
imbalanced squad with his 'Galacticos' transfer policy.
Zidane plays down job talk
Real legend Zinedine Zidane, the coach of their reserve team
Castilla, says he is not angling for Benitez's job.
"I am coach of Castilla and Benitez of the first team. Things
are fine at the moment," said Zidane.
"If I stay at the club it is as the coach of Castilla. At the end of
last season I had the feeling that I still lacked something to
take over the first team.
"I am doing things little by little and I am in no rush. The
important thing is to be happy day-to-day with what I am
doing."
Ex-Real president Ramon Calderon told BBC Sport: "Perhaps
he could decide to put Zidane in his place but I think it's very
early. The next matches are easy ones in theory. And Benitez
will be back. That's my opinion and I think I'm not wrong
about that."
support
Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez has been told he
retains the club's full backing following the 4-0 home
defeat by Barcelona.
Benitez, 55, was only appointed in the summer, but fans
chanted for him to be sacked after Saturday's match.
Following a board meeting on Monday, club president
Florentino Perez said: "He has all our support and
confidence.
"Rafa has only just started his job here. Let him keep
working and he will achieve his objectives."
Perez added he could "only talk about this moment".
He said: "I cannot say what will happen in the future. No-one
can say what will happen in six months."
Relive Real Madrid's 4-0 thrashing at the hands of
Barcelona
Gareth Bale not thinking of English return
The 68-year-old rejected suggestions striker Cristiano
Ronaldo, the Spanish club's record goalscorer, had told him
he is unhappy playing under Benitez.
"Ronaldo has never said anything to me about Benitez," he
said.
Perez - who returned to the club in 2009 having resigned as
president in 2006 - was also a target for angry fans on
Saturday.
He said he understood their disappointment but asked them
to display "more than ever" their "support to the team and
to the players".
Real's next game is at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions
League on Wednesday, followed by an away game against
Eibar in La Liga on Sunday.
'Benitez is a buffer for Perez'
Benitez succeeded Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, with Perez
describing him as "a man who breathes football,
professionalism and the very ethos of our club".
Saturday's defeat leaves Real third in La Liga, six points
adrift of leaders Barcelona and two behind with city rivals
Atletico Madrid.
Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter told BBC Radio 5
live: "This is a proper crisis, when you are humiliated in that
manner, and not for the first time in recent times.
"Perez only had two options and the one he is taking is to
back Benitez. If he was to sack him, where does he go?
"Even when Perez resigned, things weren't as bad as this
between him and the fans.
"There are two reasons he hasn't sacked Benitez; he doesn't
have anyone to replace him and also because the manager
is a buffer. At the moment, when things go badly, Benitez
will draw the criticism and is in the way of the president."
Why is Benitez under pressure?
Saturday's game was not the first time Benitez's approach
has been questioned this season.
He was heavily criticised for adopting negative tactics in the
1-1 derby draw against Atletico Madrid last month, while a
ragged performance in a 3-2 loss at Sevilla a fortnight ago
was similarly scorned by fans and media.
After controversially replacing the popular Ancelotti in the
summer, Benitez has been accused of failing to develop
good relationships with his key players.
An article in Monday's Marca newspaper said the squad had
lost faith in the former Liverpool boss.
Another report said players have taken to privately mocking
their manager over his modest playing career and
supposedly incomprehensible tactical instructions.
They refer to him as 'number 10' - traditionally the
intelligent playmaker who can read the game and see the
spaces, things they do not think Benitez can do.
Ronaldo's relationship with the coach has come under
particular scrutiny, while Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez,
Isco and Karim Benzema are thought to be unhappy with the
manager.
Like Ronaldo, fellow forward Gareth Bale has been linked
with Manchester United following a mixed start to the
season.
One consolation for Benitez is that much of the post-match
criticism has focused on Perez, who has been accused by
fans of meddling in team selection and constructing an
imbalanced squad with his 'Galacticos' transfer policy.
Zidane plays down job talk
Real legend Zinedine Zidane, the coach of their reserve team
Castilla, says he is not angling for Benitez's job.
"I am coach of Castilla and Benitez of the first team. Things
are fine at the moment," said Zidane.
"If I stay at the club it is as the coach of Castilla. At the end of
last season I had the feeling that I still lacked something to
take over the first team.
"I am doing things little by little and I am in no rush. The
important thing is to be happy day-to-day with what I am
doing."
Ex-Real president Ramon Calderon told BBC Sport: "Perhaps
he could decide to put Zidane in his place but I think it's very
early. The next matches are easy ones in theory. And Benitez
will be back. That's my opinion and I think I'm not wrong
about that."
Comments