Reports reaching us indicate that Spanish
Giants Real Madrid have sacked Rafa Benitez as
manager.
Florentino Perez who is the owner of Los Blancos is said
to be displeased with the recent poor form of the club as
they have now slipped to third and four points behind
league leaders Atletico Madrid.
Benitez who has also coached English
clubs Liverpool and Chelsea has endured a tough season
at the Bernabeu since taking over in June 2015,
having fall-outs with some key players of the club.
Their 2 – 2 draw against Valencia simply forced the
management to take the crucial decision.
However, team assistant coach, Zinedine Zidane is
expected to take over.
A top source to the club revealed that the three-time
world footballer of the year prefer a summer change but
won’t turn down the chance to manage the ten-time
European champions.
Revered Spanish football expert Guillem Balague spoke
with Sky Sports and suggested that club president
Florentino Perez might have lost confidence in Benitez
many weeks ago.
He said: “Perez often says the opposite things privately.
Over the last few weeks, he’s been saying Benitez is not
the problem, he’s the solution. That’s what he said
publicly.
“At the same time, he held a poll before Christmas with
season ticket holders on who they would like as a
replacement. He was was just waiting for the right
moment to do what seems inevitable.
“It’s quite clear Benitez doesn’t have the confidence of the
board or Perez. Perez wants Jose Mourinho to come back,
there is no doubt about it, but if he did that right now he’ll
have to get rid of five or six players, as some of the big
players at Real Madrid do not want Jose Mourinho back.
“So how Florentino Perez sort that out? I don’t know. It
won’t be now, it won’t be for a while. Who he is trying to
convince is Zidane, but Florentino is not 100 per cent
convinced that Zidane himself is the solution.
“So with no clear alternative, all that debate is happening
at board level, and with Florentino and his entourage.”
The club is expected to an official announcement soon.