Rafael Benitez has been sacked as manager of Real Madrid after just seven months in charge at the Bernabeu.
The 55-year-old Spaniard was relieved of his duties following a meeting of the club’s board on Monday. Real’s B team coach Zinedine Zidane, 43, has replaced him.
Former Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan winger Santiago Solari, 39, has been appointed as Zidane’s assistant manager.
- Rafa Benitez was sacked by Real Madrid after just seven months in charge
- Real Madrid are third in La Liga, four points behind the leaders Barcelona
- Benitez fell out with stars Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and James Rodriguez
- Ex-Liverpool boss oversaw a humiliating 4-0 home defeat by rivals Barca
- Copa del Rey expulsion was not his fault but the blame has fallen on him
A number of factors have contributed to the downfall of the former Liverpool and Inter Milan boss, from problems with players to Real’s lack of style.
RONALDO FALL-OUT
Rafa Benitez had a history of falling out with important players at his previous clubs. From Xabi Alonso to John Terry, via Marco Materazzi. And he did the same at Real Madrid.
One of the first things he did was upset Cristiano Ronaldo by not stroking the Portuguese star’s ego and saying he was the best player in the world. In fact, in the beginning, Rafa even refused to say he was the best player at Real Madrid.
He later amended those two things but after getting off on the wrong foot with Ronaldo, the relationship was never repaired. Rafa upset the Portuguese star further by trying to give Gareth Bale a central role in the team.
Many of the players fell out with the coach at one time or another, including Isco and James Rodriguez recently.
CLASICO CRUMBLE
Barcelona’s 4-0 humbling of Real Madrid in the Clasico in November guaranteed Benitez would not be staying as Real Madrid manager for any great length of time.
At the very least he would have been sacked at the end of the season. As it happens, other bad results have sealed his fate well before that.
After Barcelona won the treble last season, one of Benitez’s jobs was to keep control of the situation and stop the Catalans from streaking ahead of Madrid. Instead, Los Blancos were embarrassed in their own home, with Madrid fans left clapping man of the match Andres Iniesta.
Benitez compromised his own usual defensive attitude in that game, playing a more attacking side, and was hung, drawn and quartered by Barcelona.
BLAME GAME
Playing the blame game never helped Benitez either.
The manager looked like he was clutching at straws when he blamed the media for hatching a ‘campaign’ against Real Madrid, president Florentino Perez and himself.
It was reminiscent of his ‘facts’ rant about Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson while manager of Liverpool, and left the Spaniard pointing fingers without acknowledging the mistakes he made himself.
Rafa has been in denial for much of the season, including after Gary Neville’s Valencia dealt the fatal blow on Sunday night, claiming Real Madrid had played a ‘great’ game and they should be praised, not criticised, despite letting the lead slip twice.
LACK OF STYLE
It is well known that Real Madrid like to win, and win with style. It is also well known that Benitez is a relatively dour coach. This never seemed like a match made in heaven, even if he called it his ‘dream job’.
Madrid got some good results earlier in the season, but they were mainly off the back of spectacular performances by Keylor Navas in goal and the occasional spark of life by the three forwards, Ronaldo, Bale and Karim Benzema.
Benitez failed to impose his own methods on the team, while also curbing the team’s natural capacity for goals and excitement at the same time.
For huge periods of matches Madrid lost control and concentration, exemplified by the spell before half-time against Valencia, when Neville’s side equalised through a Dani Parejo penalty.
It wasn’t Real Madrid, it wasn’t Rafa Madrid, the team was lost somewhere in the grey area between the two.
COPA DEL REY KO
Rafa Benitez may not be at fault for this, but the blame landed at his door.
He picked Denis Cheryshev, who was suspended for the Copa del Rey clash with Cadiz, and Los Blancos were later disqualified from the competition.
Although nobody informed Benitez of the suspension, and some believe the player himself should have known, it was a further humiliation for the club. And the club is president Perez. And of course, he is not someone who likes shouldering the blame for things. So down it went, onto Benitez.
When Real Madrid look back at the Rafa era, it will be viewed as a total disaster. And as much of it Perez can associate with the departed coach, the better for him. BBC Sport/Daily Mail
