‘Benitez only sacked if…’

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez will only dismiss Rafa Benitez if there is a ‘debacle’ a report in Spain has insisted, despite advice to the contrary.

Marca say Benitez is otherwise safe and will take the team for the December 30 home game against Real Sociedad, contrary to other reports.

The report does however confirm that Perez’s decision to stick with the Coach goes against the wishes of some players and a significant section of supporters, and Benitez’s relationship with the squad is described as ‘tense.’

Perez was also recommended to make a change by his closest advisors, who see the sacking as ‘inevitable’ and therefore argue there’s no reason to delay.

The President however feels that having backed Benitez in each of his last two Press conferences – most recently on December 3 – he can’t change his mind three weeks later, and it would be hard to explain the decision days after Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 10-2.

Only if the situation deteriorates will Perez make a move, Marca say, though that is considered to be a possibility soon, considering the team in ‘unstable’ and lost to Villarreal before a nervy start against Rayo.

Perez is at the limit with Benitez but not going so far as to push the President into a mid-season change of trainer, yet not all the directors agree.

Tags Florentino Perez Rafa Benitez
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