The 4-0 Clasico defeat on November 21 at the Bernabeu looked like being the nail in the coffin but Benitez held on for another six weeks.
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The new head-coach of Real Madrid football team, Rafael Benitez, reacts during a press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, on June 3, 2015. What I can do is ensure my team puts in the work like they put in tonight.
Benitez previously coached Liverpool from 2004 to ’10, winning the Champions League in 2005.
Marca claim Perez has chose to act following Sunday’s pulsating 2-2 draw at Valencia, which left Madrid four points adrift of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid and two behind arch-rivals Barcelona, who also have a game in hand.
Given Zidane’s standing at the club from his time as a player, he will likely be given time to make an impression, but he is still under huge pressure to perform in his first senior managerial post.
Perez said: “Hello and welcome”.
Zidane had always been thought as a possible Real Madrid manager one day, with this process sped up after his successful time under Carlo Ancelotti as Assistant Manager and then as B Coach over the past year.
Perez had supported Benitez since the Barcelona loss, saying the Spaniard “was the solution, not the problem”, to Madrid’s crisis.
Benitez also led Real Madrid to five wins and one draw in their Champions League group, qualifying as group winners.
Meanwhile an admin error saw Real kicked out of the Copa del Rey after fielding an ineligible player.
Watch through Standard Sport’s video above to see what else Zidane can boast about as he enters his first big management role with Real Madrid.
“Firstly I would like to thank the club and the president for giving me the chance to coach this team”, Zidane said.
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They haven’t won a domestic title since the 2011-12 season, when they were coached by Jose Mourinho.
