Benitez’s long route to Real hotseat

Rafael Benitez returns to his hometown club Real Madrid to take on one of the toughest coaching jobs in football. Photo by: EPA/CESARE ABBATE

Rafael Benitez returns to his hometown club Real Madrid to take on one of the toughest coaching jobs in football. Photo by: EPA/CESARE ABBATE

Published Jun 3, 2015

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Barcelona - Fierce ambition and a studious approach to the game have marked Rafa Benitez's journey around Europe's top leagues and he now returns to his hometown club Real Madrid to take on one of the toughest coaching jobs in football.

Benitez quit Napoli last week to take over from the sacked Carlo Ancelotti at Real, where the eagle eyes of impatient, and deep-pocketed, president Florentino Perez will be scrutinising him from day one.

Perez was at his most ruthless in axing Ancelotti after a season without a major trophy that followed Real's capture of their treasured tenth Champions League title in the Italian's debut season in 2013-14.

Ancelotti's name was chanted at the Bernabeu in their final La Liga outing last month as fans anticipated his dismissal and his affable approach endeared him to the players, who backed him to the end.

One of Benitez's first tasks when the squad returns to training will be to win the confidence of the team, particularly those like top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo who clearly did not want Ancelotti to leave.

Benitez was 19 and hoping to move up to Real's second team when he suffered knee ligament damage that ended his hopes of a professional career and it was natural for him to move into coaching due to his analytical skills.

“It is true that when I played a lot of team mates said that I talked too much but I couldn't stop myself,” Benitez was quoted as saying in Marca this week.

“It was not to blame anyone, it was because I saw things that others didn't and I tried to do my best for the team. I didn't lose my temper they were just observations.”

Benitez graduated from youth team coach at Real to several modest teams in Spain as he developed his coaching philosophy. He would methodically assess training sessions and write down his observations.

He took a year out to watch, and learn from, other coaches around Europe in 1999 and following that break began to enjoy success first with Tenerife and then particularly at Valencia where he won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup.

Benitez had developed a reputation as a defensive coach but attracted the attention of Europe's top clubs and in 2004 he moved to Liverpool.

On Merseyside he will be always remembered for their Champions League win in 2005 but he failed to build on that and the team appeared to have lost its way when he left in 2010.

Since then his record has been irregular with short spells at Inter Milan and Chelsea before he took the job at Napoli.

His style of play evolved at Napoli into a more attacking approach where he preferred to have a trident behind the frontman, typically Real striker Gonzalo Higuain, and he will be expected to deliver entertaining football at Real.

However, it is arguable whether he actually improved Napoli and left with the side having failed to qualify for a Champions League place this season.

Now, given financial backing at Real, he will quickly need to bring home major trophies, and while in the past he has said he favours the English model, under which managers are given time to bed in, he will not be afforded that luxury.

Another season without at least one major trophy and Perez will be looking for a replacement for Benitez, the 10th coach he has hired in two six-year stints at the helm of the world's richest club by income.

Factbox on new Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez.

* Born in Madrid, April 16, 1960.

Early career

* After a knee injury ends a modest playing career, Benitez begins coaching in Real Madrid's youth section.

* From 1993 to 2001 he coaches Real Madrid B, Real Valladolid, Osasuna, Extremadura and Tenerife.

* Leads Valencia to their first league title in 31 years in his first season in charge in 2000-01.

* They win La Liga again in 2003-04 and beat Olympique Marseille 2-0 in Uefa Cup final for their first domestic and European double.

Liverpool

* Liverpool appoint Benitez in June 2004.

* First season ends in triumph with an unforgettable Champions League final victory over AC Milan when Liverpool overturn a 3-0 halftime deficit and win on penalties.

* 2005-06 - Liverpool beat West Ham in the FA Cup final.

* 2006-07 - Liverpool reach the Champions League final again but lose to Milan.

* 2009-10 - A poor season ends with Liverpool seventh in the Premier League and they also fail to progress beyond the Champions League group stage.

* June 3, 2010 - Benitez leaves Liverpool by mutual consent and a week later joins European champions Inter Milan.

Inter Milan

* Inter stick with the same treble-winning squad but injuries begin to bite and their form dips.

* Benitez leaves after a troubled six months in charge despite winning the Club World Cup.

Chelsea

* Appointed as interim boss of the European champions in November 2012 after Roberto Di Matteo is sacked following their Champions League group stage elimination.

* Benitez is never popular with fans and results do not especially improve although Chelsea beat Benfica in Europa League final

Napoli

* Takes over at Napoli in May 2013 and wins the Coppa Italia in his debut season.

* Napoli finish third in Serie A but are unable to build on their success in 2014-15.

* They lose their Champions League qualifier to Athletic Bilbao and miss out on the lucrative group stage.

* They are beaten in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia and Europa League and Benitez announces on May 28 he is leaving at the end of the campaign.

* Subsequent defeat to Lazio in their final game of the season means they fail to secure a place in next season's Champions League playoff round. – Reuters

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