Real Madrid will probably sack Benitez – Balague

Highly respected Spanish journalist, Guillem Balague, has claimed that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is likely to fire manager Rafa Benitez.

Madrid were hammered 4-0 by Barcelona in Saturday’s El Clasico at the Bernabeu.

Before the game, Benitez had only lost once in his first 15 matches in charge of the La Liga side, but Balague insists the club’s hierarchy is already impatient.

“There is no way whatsoever that this kind of performance – we’re not even talking about the result – but the performance, will have no consequences. It has to have consequences. That’s how Real Madrid works,” he said.

“That means of course that Florentino Perez will probably get rid of the manager, and if that’s the case, what is next? Yet another manager.

“This is a problem for Real Madrid that will not change unless the whole idea and whole philosophy changes.

“The business plan is brilliant – they’re very, very rich. The football plan is very poor, and under Florentino Perez they have won one league in seven years, which suggests that his idea of putting big names on the pitch does not work.

“Of course, Rafa is not the only one to blame, but it’s almost much easier to get rid of the manager.”