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Florentino Perez backs Rafa Benitez to continue as coach

November 24, 2015 by

Life is not easy when you are associated with a big side especially when you do not have experience of mentoring a reigning club containing more world class players than ever and this is something that seems to be happening with Real Madrid’s newly appointed manager Rafa Benitez who is now feeling pressure of guiding players who have long been a brand in themselves. Until last week, 55-year-old Spanish was enjoying his stay at Santiago Bernabéu but after a humiliating defeat to arch rival Barcelona he along with President Florentino Perez faced fans’ embarrassing chants asking them to resign from their posts. However, no one listened anything against Ronaldo during the whole game suggesting fans are still with Portuguese despite rumors of him linking with former side Manchester United. Anyways, this is the right time for President Florentino Perez to back his manager and rightly so he guarded his new head coach amid rising demand of his sacking on his reported difference with Ronaldo.

Reportedly, Real dressing room is not happy with the way Benítez is managing club affairs and according to players vibe, they want club’s B-team coach Zinedine Zidane to take over the former Nepoli boss. Talking about manager and if they are thinking of his sacking after reported difference with teammates, Perez said, “We have analysed the sports situation. Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has all our support and trust. The solution to this is Rafa Benitez. We signed him to turn things around. We think he is the right person. But we must let him work — not listen to those making up lies that board doesn’t want him, or the players don’t want him.

“He has a good relationship with the players, with the board, and me in particular. We understand the anger of fans after Saturday, but ask for support for our players. It is not habitual for us to be permanently denying things (Benitez sacking). But I understand that there are some journalists who want to destabilise us. On Saturday, a sports paper from Madrid said that according to Radio Montecarlo I had dinner with the PSG president and — what’s his name — Jorge Mendes to talk about Cristiano.

“There are people who lie to damage Real Madrid. They think that, without me, they would have more influence in the club. I could say many more things. Never has Cristiano Ronaldo said to me ‘With this coach, or this club, we will win nothing.’ has never said anything about anyone, he is a good guy, all that comes out about me wanting to sell him, meeting with people, is people wanting to destabilise the club. It happens every day.”

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Benitez accepts Real inability to handle pressure during Sevilla loss

November 9, 2015 by

Real Madrid new boss Rafa Benitez seems to be highly optimistic for Real’s impressive show this season that is why he is not ready to accept any loss especially when they have been in dominating position. Last game with Sevilla was one such game that eventually went in favor of home side and they won a high scoring game quite impressively. Sensing the importance of possibly a lost opportunity, Benitez expresses his frustration over the way his side handled the pressure during crucial moments although James was the only Real player who impressed everyone with his brilliant ball holding technique in the later half.

Game started with good news for the visitors when Sergio Ramos header gave them initial lead but their joy was short lived as Ciro Immobile, Ever Banega, and substitute Fernando Llorente made it sure Real would have to go back empty handed. This defeat is also noticeable looking at Benítez side’s season record where they have conceded just four times out of first 14 La Liga and Champions League games. Talking about what went wrong for them and if manager was responsible for placing players on undesirable positions in crucial moments, Blancos coach said in the post-match news conference, “We played 30 very good minutes, lots of control, in all levels. Then we let them score at a set-piece. That changed the game.

“From the second goal we started to make mistakes, they took advantage and scored a third. We came back and scored late, but it wasn’t enough. That was the lesson from the game, in the first half a good Real Madrid for a long time, in the second half we were not able to manage the situation. We should have killed the game in the first half, and we didn’t.”

Another disappointing news for the Spanish giant has been injury to Sergio Ramos which could yield more negative impact in upcoming games. Clarifying if Ramos’ injury was the turning point of the game, Benitez said, “I wouldn’t say it determined things, as the other centre-backs played well. But one change made a difference, as we had one substitute less to change things when we wanted to. I speak about the team, as a team, I do not talk about individual players. And we were not able to control the game in the second half.”

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Rafa Benitez calls Ronaldo the key to success, talks about his plans for next season

July 17, 2015 by

Every side has a player who is termed as the backbone of it and if we look at any big side in contemporary soccer there is at least one starlet who is the identity of it and Real Madrid is not an exception who is identified with Cristiano Ronaldo, in fact, fans often take both Rolando and Real Madrid as synonym to each other. Newly appointed manager Rafa Benitez is the first top official of the side who accepts the strong bonding with the Portuguese when he said Ronaldo is the fundamental of Santiago Bernabéu side. This is not the first incident when we are hearing a flattering statement for the captain by a new manager as this is usually a part of well-planned strategy whereby new entrant boss tries to win the confidence of the key player first and then of the whole side and 55-year-old Spanish seems to be doing just that. Accordingly, he did not hint any change in the field spread in upcoming season, as expected by club sources, however, he says Bale can be put on central attacking line. This is not a news that Benitez could never had a reputation of an attacking coach and that is why when he joined the Spanish giant his critics started lambasting club think tank for bringing a defensive mentor to lead the side like Real Madrid.

Anyways, he is now in-charge of one of the biggies in the business and doing his best to shred off his limitations hence is committed to revamp the field place to suite his style of coaching. Talking about any key change in the side, 55-year-old said, “I want Real Madrid to be Real Madrid. I want us to be a team that go out to win every game, that take the initiative, are assertive, that attack as well as in recent years and that defend a little bit better, to achieve that balance that will enable us to win more games and have a greater chance of winning trophies.”

Adding about Real playmaker who scored 61 goals in all competitions last year, he said, “He’s a fundamental player for us. By meeting him and starting to exchange our thoughts with each other, we will be able to progress in terms of the dynamic of the group and get to know him better, so as to get the best out of him and so that the team can make the most of everything he has to offer.”

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