And that’s your lot. A big thank you to Sid Lowe at a packed Bernabéu press room, who was typing faster than Pérez could speak. I suppose only time, and results, will reveal how much faith Pérez has in Benítez. But that was pretty robust stuff in the face of a great deal of criticism. He pointed the finger at the media and ultras and just a smidgin at himself.
Here’s our news story on the backing of Benítez.
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Pérez claims he has not met anyone about Ronaldo. He’s very much on one here … “Criticisms that are false annoy me. It annoys me that they say that I have met people to sell Ronaldo, that I have said things against Ronaldo. It’s all false. It annoys me that people are against me, but it’s not against me: it is against Madrid. I want to communicate them everything that is designed to destabilise us and more to the point is fault.”
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The fans called on you to resign … “I respect the fans. That shows how demanding they are and I accept that. But I’d also like to say: ‘Florentino resign!’ that’s always started by the same people. A year ago we said the violent ultras sur would not come into the ground. Since then they have tried everything to intimidate me. It annoys me more that some papers help them out: they put up a banner against me, take a picture and then take it down. I also ask the fans to help us to make sure that these people can’t be protagonists and that they are not in the stadium. Their place is not in the Bernabéu.”
This is the same as in March ... and then you sacked Ancelotti, says a reporter. “I did not rectify Ancelotti. I said that the paper who said I was going to sack him if he didn’t win that Sunday was false,” fires back Ancelotti. “ I have confidence in the coach and that’s normal. I came out then because of a front page of a newspaper. And today I come out because I want to tell you that we are supporting the coach. I don’t mind the demands. I didn’t see anyone say this when we scored against Bayern ... I understand the demands. But at times there are people who exaggerate a lot ... I blame myself because I have not been able to prevent this atmosphere [from the media].”
A very interesting question now: “Do some leading players want him to not continue, as per reports …”
A lot of what happens is my fault. It’s not normal to have to deny things a lot. I understand. A lot of journalists want to destabilise us. On Saturday, a paper says on Thursday the president of PSG and Jorge Mendes met. That paper says that the president RM was there too. That day of the game! I can tell loads of stories like that. And it’s so easy to call me, or go to the restaurant. I think there are people who make lies their way of being to try to damage the image of Real Madrid because they think that without me they can have more influence in Madrid. Cristiano has never, ever said anything like ‘with this coach we won’t win anything.’ No one has said anything against him. Ronaldo is a good guy; he’s never said anything. All this stuff people say is just to destabilise us. And it’s every day. And there will be some naive people who believe that. I have to come out and say things ... like, we have not paid €10m for De Gea. But it’s every day. It’s terrible, it’s daily. Some people’s raison d’etre is to destabilise us. They try to undermine the stability of this club and I will not allow it.”
So, he’s denying that Ronaldo has been throwing his weight around behind the scenes and saying that everyone is basically out to get him.
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Three year contracts? Why never more? “It’s sufficient and then it could get longer. But normally three years is enough. Managers get worn out quickly here.” True words Florentino.
Has anyone thought of sacking Rafa, he is asked again … “I just said that. No one in the board has ever suggested that. We have unanimity. We have to let him work. Some players have been two months without playing; they need time. We need time for the team to work the way we would like.” Fair enough.
On Ancelotti as a possible replacement … “No, that’s not true. A person talks in the moment. I am talking now; what may happen in six months ... none of us can know that.”
You say the problems have been there since January. Is there anything else though, asks a reporter … “Since January we deteriorated, that is obvious,” says Pérez. “We choose Rafa in the confidence that he could sort it out. He has only been here a little while and you can’t fix everything overnight.”
Will you speak to players, he is asked. “I saw them all on Saturday, as usual. I spoke to the manager too.”
Does the manager have full power? “Full power, for sure. No one will ever suggest anything. We’ve had lots of coaches and none will ever say that I have suggested anything. They all have autonomy. We have a squad of very good players and choosing is something different.”
On the elections … “Not one word has been said about that ... We have analysed the sporting situation and given the doubts about our support for the coach; we back him completely. Problems come from January, I insist.”
Is there a campaign against you? asks one journalist. “Well, I respect all manifestations from fans,” replies Pérez. “They have the right and I understand them. Is there a campaign? I have to say the truth: I think that, you think that, we all think that.”
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Pérez continues: “Until the last two weeks of the league we were unbeaten, and sharing the leadership. Despite numerous injuries suffered at the start of the season. We are confident that we have a great squad of magnificent players. The most important thing for us is the success of the team and institutional stability. I understand that the fans are annoyed about Saturday but I ask for their support for the players. I will always work to make sure that the supporters are the only owners of the club.”
Thanks to Sid Lowe, at the Bernabú for these quotes. He’s calling for the fans’ support of him as president it seems here. Politics.
Good news for David Moyes, Rafa Benítez is the new Chosen One. “We are convinced that we have a great squad that will give much happiness to a fanbase that deserves everything. Rafa Benítez is the chosen one to bring success to this squad that since January has struggled. Now more than ever he needs the support of all of our followers.”
Pérez is still talking: “We had a very bad match, these things happen, but it wasn’t for a lack of attitude. I understand the unhappiness and the anger of the fanbase with what happened on Saturday, but I ask them that they support the team,” he says. I suppose he’s trying to tell the fans they may want to put the white hankies away for the foreseeable future.
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This all sounds incredibly sensible for Real Madrid.
Pérez continues: “Rafa Benítez has all the ability and has only just started his job here. Let him keep working and he will achieve his objectives.”
Real Madrid give Rafa Benítez vote of confidence
Pérez says: “We have had a board meeting and analysed the sporting situation at Real Madrid. Rafa has all our support and all our confidence.”
So, he’s not for the chop … yet.
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Pérez has taken the stage. Let’s see hear what he has to say …
Well, we’re still waiting for Pérez to appear. There are 50 TV cameras pointing at the little lectern where Pérez will stand. Perhaps he should up his game and sing whatever he has to announce …
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If it’s any consolation for Benítez, the man he succeeded has backed him to turn things around. Here’s what Carlo Ancelotti has had to say:
It’s still early days and I think his players have the quality and ability to resolve such a situation, which is very complicated. It was a nightmare for all the Real fans, who saw an extremely strong Barcelona side make their Real suffer. It’s difficult to judge from the outside how things are within the dressing room. They suffered tactically, trying to press high up the field against a side who were comfortable just controlling the ball and this is what made the difference. Each coach has his own ideas, though. I was accused of picking the team that [Milan president Silvio] Berlusconi wanted for years, and even in Madrid I was accused of naming the team according to the president’s desires. Benitez has his own ideas and he puts these into action on the field, and it’s always best to sink using your own ideas than those of somebody else.”
In the second age of Pérez, Real Madrid have won one league title, two Copa del Rey trophies and one Champions League. Is that enough? They’ve spent the GDP of a small nation to achieve that. They’ve also had one of the greatest club sides ever to contend with.
Florentino Pérez has arrived at the Bernabéu. We’ll hopefully hear from him shortly. He’s not up on the pedestal yet, mind, as this picture reveals.
En 15 minutos, habla aquí Florentino Pérez. Lo contamos en @MVTARDE y @DeporteslaSexta pic.twitter.com/0OsTXeztK1
— Guillermo Moreno (@gmoreno_laSexta) November 23, 2015
Here’s Sid Lowe’s take on Real Madrid’s clásico humiliation. It’s not particularly encouraging reading for Benítez. Here’s a snippet:
When Benítez arrived, he was like the stepfather they didn’t want and most still don’t. Nor, frankly, does he much want them. Real Madrid is Benítez’s club, or it was. Not any more, or perhaps that should say: not yet. As one of his former players put it this weekend: “This did not look like a Benítez team at all.”
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Evening. The Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez will speak at a press conference shortly as speculation surrounds the future of manager Rafael Benítez following the 4-0 home thrashing against Barcelona. The former Liverpool manager is under intense pressure following the defeat in Saturday’s clásico, just five months after taking over at the club.
A club statement read:
The Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, will hold a press conference at 7.30pm CET this evening in the Santiago Bernabéu following the board meeting. We are all responsible and now we have to show unity in order to win the next game and give the fans something to be happy about, which is something we failed to do [against Barcelona]. We need to get over this result and focus on the next match as soon as possible.”
Real are currently third in La Liga’s standings, six points behind Barcelona. Zinedine Zidane, who currently manages the club’s Castilla reserve team, has already said he is not interested in taking over should Benítez lose his job.
It’s expected that Pérez will back Benítez … for now, although Real Madrid being Real Madrid you never know. The likelihood is that Pérez is using Benítez like a human shield. While he has him there he still has him to sack and thus diffuse some of the criticism. Once he’s sent him off the plank, he’s hideously exposed.
Real Madrid are six points behind Barça. There are 78 points still to play for. Sure, their performance was atrocious against their Catalan rivals, but Benítez is still only 16 games into his tenure with a record of 10 wins, four draws and two losses. Yes, the two losses came in their past two league games but would sacking Benítez help matters? And who would take over?
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