adminMADRID. — Rafael Benitez will take charge of Real Madrid next season after the club confirmed he had signed a three-year deal with the Spanish giants yesterday.
The appointment brings Benitez’s coaching career full circle as he returns to the club where he made his first steps as a youth team coach in the early nineties.
Benitez said he “admires” Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling at the news conference to confirm his appointment as Real Madrid manager.
The ex-Liverpool manager has ended a two-year stint with Napoli, signing a three-year contract at the Bernabeu with the promise of “quality football” which “wins trophies”.
When asked about 20-year-old England international Sterling, Benitez said: “We admire Raheem, that’s no secret — but he is not one of our players so I can’t really comment on him.”
Sterling, who rejected a new £100 000-a-week contract in April, wants to leave Anfield and has also been linked with a move to Manchester City
Benitez is also returning to Spain for the first time in over a decade after making a name for himself with two league titles in three years at Valencia between 2001 and 2004.
However, commentators and fans have been skeptical at his appointment at the expense of the well-loved Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked by the club last week. Ancelotti ended a 12-year wait to land Madrid’s much desired 10th Champions League last season, but paid the price for failing to deliver a major trophy this season. — AFP.
Online Reporter