“My plan when I first started playing football was to try to reach the pinnacle – and Real Madrid is the pinnacle”, he said in an interview with several national newspapers.
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Benitez has only been in charge of Madrid since the summer, but already finds himself under increasing pressure, initially for a perceived negative style of play and now due to Saturday’s 4-0 home mauling by arch-rivals Barcelona.
There has also been suggestions that star striker Cristiano Ronaldo, the club’s record goalscorer, is unhappy playing under Benitez.
“I am with Castilla and if I stay at the club it is to coach Castilla”.
Real Madrid fans waved white handkerchiefs – a gesture of goodbye aimed at Benitez – and chanted “president, resign”, shortly after Luis Suarez scored the fourth goal in Barcelona’s victory.
Real Madrid have given under-fire coach Rafael Benitez a vote of confidence and said he will remain in charge of the team.
A few fans have also called for the return of Italian coach Carlos Ancelotti, who helped Madrid win its 10th European title two seasons ago. And there have been a few reports that Fabio Capello, who is now unemployed, could be the next in line. Real Madrid is only third in the standings, two points behind second-place Atletico Madrid. The team has already secured a spot in the knockout stage of the tournament but is fighting Paris Saint-Germain for the top spot in its group.
“With the match now over, we can clearly say that the lineup didn’t work”, said the coach, who was hired by Madrid less than six months ago.
“Madrid are one of the best teams in the world, but we took advantage of their mistakes”.
“We’re always completely behind the coach”, left back Marcelo said after Saturday’s loss.
Many said Benitez lost control of the squad and that players were not fully behind him. “We’re going to get ourselves out of this situation”. We didn’t expect to lose and play so badly.
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Real’s next game is at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday, which is followed by a Primera Division trip to sixth-placed Eibar on Sunday.
