Real Madrid vice-president confirms Rafa Benítez appointment

The Real Madrid vice-president Eduardo Fernández de Blas appears to have confirmed Rafael Benítez’s arrival as the club’s new head coach with an offhand comment.

Benítez is widely expected to replace the departed Carlo Ancelotti after confirming that Sunday’s match against Lazio will be his last as Napoli coach. De Blas, speaking at a club event on Saturday evening, gave the game away as he praised the outgoing Ancelotti.

“I’ll tell you one thing, Carlo Ancelotti is a real phenomenon,” he said in comments reported by the Spanish newspaper AS. “We give our thanks to him. Until three days ago, he was, for me, the best coach in the world, just as two years ago it was José Mourinho, and as from this week will be Rafa Benítez.”

The Madrid-born Benítez has a glittering résumé, having led Valencia to two Primera División titles and a Uefa Cup crown.

He also steered Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, when his team staged a major comeback in the final to stun an Ancelotti-led Milan.

Benítez also won the FA Cup and Uefa Super Cup while at Liverpool.

Credit: Guardian Sport