Benitez criticized after Atletico rallies to hold Real
Print Edition
RAFA Benitez portrayed himself as a coach who favors the kind of spectacular attacking football Real Madrid fans demand when he took over from Carlo Ancelotti at the end of last season but can’t seem to shake the defensive tag.
The 55-year-old gained a reputation for caution during stints at clubs including Valencia, Liverpool, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Napoli and Sunday’s 1-1 La Liga draw at Atletico Madrid, when Real appeared to take its foot off the gas in the second half, prompted complaints Benitez had squandered a chance to kill off their city rivals.
His decision to replace in-form striker Karim Benzema, who put Real ahead in the first half with his sixth goal in as many La Liga appearances this term, with midfielder Mateo Kovacic came under particular scrutiny in the Spanish media.
After Benzema came off 13 minutes from time, Atletico started to up the pressure and scored a deserved equalizer in the 83rd minute when Luciano Vietto poked the ball home after good work down the left wing by fellow substitute Jackson Martinez. Martinez almost won the game for the home side but Keylor Navas in the Real goal, who saved an Antoine Griezmann penalty in the first half, managed to tip his shot away.
Benitez disagreed with a reporter who suggested at the post-match news conference that Real had lacked ambition.
“No, you have to give credit to Atletico who were intense,” Benitez said.
“In the first half we were playing to win,” he added.
“We took the lead and then we made mistakes, with the penalty and the goal. We lacked precision on our counter attacks.”
Benitez, who brought on fit-again attacking midfielder Gareth Bale in place of playmaker Isco with around half an hour to go, said he had taken Benzema off because he wanted fresh legs on the wing.
The draw meant Real missed a chance to go top.
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