Perez said he had given the 55-year-old Benitez his backing immediately after the game and denied he had received requests from players to sack the coach.
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That was a second successive defeat for Madrid – who were unbeaten in Benitez’s first 14 competitive games in charge – and left them six points adrift of Primera Division leaders Barca.
But the capital club lost 3-2 at Sevilla prior to the recent global break before being embarrassed at the Bernabeu by Barca.
Madrid’s thrashing prompted angry fans to chant for construction magnate Perez to step down, but he has not heeded their calls and said he expects the world’s richest club by income to return to winning ways soon.
“We want to communicate that Rafa Benitez has all our support and confidence”. At the start of the season he was reported to have criticised the new coach’s tactics and it was claimed earlier this month that Ronaldo had told Perez “We will win nothing with this coach”. We were much better, even though we drew, and I hope we’ll take advantage of the chances we have tomorrow.
“Once the game had begun, virtually the only applause of the night came for Isco when he was sent off six minutes from the end for a wild hack at Neymar”, says Sid Lowe in The Observer.
Ronaldo publicly backed Ancelotii before Perez replaced the Italian with Benitez.
Benitez watched his side be demolished 4-0 at home by arch rivals Barcelona in yesterday’s El Clasico.
Former Liverpool and Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez is already facing the axe at Real Madrid, according to Sky Sports expert Guillem Balague. “My current job is Castilla and I am going to continue with it”. He has a great relationship with [Karim] Benzema and [Raphael] Varane, he understands the workings of the club and his input was very important to me. “I’m doing things little by little and I’ve no hurry”, he added following Sunday’s goalless draw with Barakaldo in Spain’s third tier.
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“We had a very bad match, these things happen, but it wasn’t for a lack of attitude”.
