Real Madrid have this Monday sacked Rafael
Benitez after just six months in charge. Speculation have been rife for months
now that he would not last the first year of his three year contract, following
the 2-2 draw with Valencia on Sunday where they led twice, the club scheduled a
press conference Monday evening, where his dismissal was announced.
The former Liverpool, Inter, Valencia
and Napoli manager's appointment was never a popular one amongst the Madrid fans and some
players. He was reported to have ostracised James Rodriguez and Isco from the
squad, as they did not feature regularly while his stay lasted.
Despite starting his stint at Madrid with several
unbeaten games, he was accused by the fans and media of being too defensive,
but he had the positive of being unbeaten and sturdy at the back as his strong
points. However, the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in
the first el-Classico of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu did not help his
cause, and this further increased the pressure on him, with fans booing his
name at the beginning of matches in Madrid
anytime it was announced.
Just last week, he accused the
media of targeting him and the club, but
in the end the fans ultimately got their way as he has now being shown the way
out of the club.
It is another of several managers
that Florentino Perez has sacked over the years as president of the club, many
had argued that Rafael Benitez was not an improvement on Carlo Ancelotti
judging by his style and tactics, little wonder he has lasted just six months
at the helm.
He leaves Real Madrid just four
points behind league leaders, Atletico Madrid.
With Zidane as the new manager
having been promoted from the B team of the club, it remains to be seen whether
Florentino Perez got ride of Benitez to assuage the fans, or whether it was a
purely sporting decision.
In the end, it is a premature end
for yet another manager at the Santiago Bernabeu, with coaches like Fabio
Capello, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and now Benitez being coaching casualties
at the club.
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