Rafael Benitez has been relieved of his job as manager of Real Madrid,after seven months on the job.
The manager has suffered an enduring season at Real Madrid since taking over in June, and while he only finds his side four points off Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga, he has had issues with the team’s important players and been condemned for a defensive style of football.
Benitez was also denied the chance for another chance of getting a trophy, the Copa del Rey, after an administrative blunder saw them disqualified for fielding an unqualified player against Cadiz.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the match against Valencia that ended in 2-2.
It leaves the Champions League as their most probable chance of winning a trophy this season, but club president Florentino Perez obviously preferred a change of manager ahead of their round-of-16 match against Roma next month.
A public statement is expected later on today.
Zinedine Zidane – the coach of Real Madrid’s second team, Castilla – is expected to take over.
The football legend is understood to privately prefer a summer change and the chance to undertake an entire pre-season but won’t turn down the chance to manage the ten-time European champions if, as expected, Perez offers him the job.
