OFFICIAL: Rafa Benitez sacked by Celta

Rafa Benitez is no longer coach of RC Celta after the coach announced his resignation on Tuesday morning. The direction of the team and the difficulty to achieve victories regularly take ahead of the coach, whose arrival at Balaidos seemed to be a gesture of greater ambition.

It happens that football is not an exact science and sometimes names are not everything. The Madrid-born coach leaves the 'Celeste' bench after 28 matches in which his team had only been able to win five games. The last defeat against Real Madrid (4-0) and above all the victory of Cadiz against Atletico (2-0) have pushed the board to dismiss him, as Celta is now only two points away from the relegation zone.

In its statement, the club said Benitez and his coaching staff had shown "absolute dedication and total commitment", but admitted that the team had "not achieved the expected results". Their overall record is nine wins, nine draws and 15 defeats in official competitions, with the Galicians reaching the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

"The club would like to express to Rafa Benitez and his assistants its most sincere thanks for the involvement, honesty and professionalism they have shown since their arrival and the tireless work they have done. RC Celta would also like to wish them the best of luck and success in the future", concludes the Vigo text. At the moment it is not known who his replacement will be.

Benitez was a very strong bet of the then sports advisor Luis Campos and the now president Marian Mourino, so much so that he became one of the highest paid coaches in the history of the club. However, with the departure of the Portuguese and the dangerous direction of the team, the Madrid-born coach lost support as scepticism grew. Finally, the story ended with his dismissal.

This was Rafa Benitez's return to Spanish football almost 20 years after his departure from Valencia. The former La Liga champion with the 'Ches' experienced some of the best years of his career at Liverpool before moving on to Chelsea, Napoli, Newcastle and Real Madrid. Before returning, he spent time in Chinese football with Dalian Pro and had an unsuccessful spell with Everton in England. Now that he has been sacked by Celta, we will see where the 63-year-old's career takes a turn.

 

March 12, 2024