Rafa Benitez has alleged there is a ‘campaign’ against himself, Florentino Perez and Real Madrid, but stopped short of pinpointing the source.
The under-pressure Coach, speaking at a Press conference prior to Wednesday’s game against Real Sociedad, did however suggest it originated in the media, as he compared Spain’s reporters to England’s, where he spent Christmas.
“There is a campaign against Florentino, against me and against the team. Everything is manipulated and there for everyone to see,” he claimed, AS reports.
“The whole world questions the trajectory and we all have to add a little bit, including myself.
“I’ve been calm, with my family, but my holiday was short. I knew I was coming to a club where everything is magnified. I’ve sat on the bench for 30 years and more than 1,400 games. I know how it is and I know solutions. You concentrate on the job.
“I’ve spoken with the President and with Jose Angel Sanchez and our relations are cordial. I know how to do things well and win.
“I’ve been on holiday and the English Press doesn’t reflect what is said in Spain. It seems that it just takes a tweet to rock the foundations of the country.
“The relationship with the staff is infinitely better than you read in the Press. Some players are happier than others. You know who you talk to. If I don’t pick someone, it’s an incident.
“Every week there are 13 left out [of the match squad] and it is taken as a personal decision. The manipulation and the campaign is on-going and my responsibility is to make decisions for the team to win and play well.
“To do something in La Liga you need stability and peace, not anxiety. The team is much better than people think and that must be reflected in matches. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn’t. So I have to be aware of the sport and not what people say.”
Benitez went on to touch on the opposition, insisting they were his focus and not any of the off-the-field matters.
“I’ve only thought about how to beat La Real and to win trophies. What I want is to win trophies, because we haven’t got any yet,” he noted.
“We have to start well [against La Real], with intensity and go in front. We’re against a team with speed in attack and we have to be protagonists.
“We have to motivate the fans with our play. The fans have to help us and I’m sure they are going to.”
