Benitez opens the door to Real move
Print Edition
Rafael Benitez moved a step closer to taking over Spanish giants Real Madrid when the Spaniard resigned as Napoli coach yesterday.
The out-of-contract 55-year-old, who arrived in Italy in 2013, will take charge of his final game when Napoli host Lazio on Sunday in effectively a playoff for the third Champions League spot in Serie A.
“This is the end of my two years experience here and I would like it to finish with a victory,” said Benitez as he thanked the club, its president and its supporters.
Benitez won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, the then UEFA Cup with Valencia in 2004 and the Europa League for Chelsea in 2013. He is seen as one of the wiliest tacticians in world football.
“It’s always sad to leave a place where people treat you well,” Benitez said.
The Spanish coach added being away from his family for two years was too much, and made the decision with his wife a few weeks ago.
“It was clear that my (time) here was finished and that I needed to look for something else for the future,” Benitez said, without discussing his future plans.
Napoli won the Italian Cup and Supercup under Benitez.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez fired the latest incumbent of the Madrid hot-seat Carlo Ancelotti on Monday, and told the press his replacement would speak “good Spanish.”
AC Milan are bidding to lure back Ancelotti, the Italian club’s vice-president Adriano Galliani confirmed yesterday.
“The deadline for a reply is Wednesday, June 3,” Galliani said.
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