Moratti ‘leaning’ towards Benitez
Both parties were looking for a fresh start when Rafael Benitez was let go by Liverpool, and now it just seems that Benitez may have found home. The scales are tipped in favour of the 50-year old Spaniard for the Inter Milan job, a place where competition exists from people such as the England coach Fabio Capello and Turkey manager Guus Hiddink.
Massimo Moratti, the Inter Millan president, confirmed that he may be considering Benitez as the club’s new manager.
“It’s true, we are leaning towards Benitez and in the next few days we’ll decide,” Moratti verified.
Benitez left Liverpool on Thursday after negotiations were made to pay-off a severance package of £6 Million, despite signing a 5 year contract with the club last May.
It has clearly been a bad season for Liverpool who in 2008-2009 had finished only four points short of Manchester United and was expected to be a lot more difficult to step-over. With the departure of Xavi Alonso, who was sold to Madrid for £30 million last year and seeing Fernando Torres on the benches most of the season; things didn’t look bright for them. The early defeats that Liverpool suffered at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa didn’t make Benitez’s position any better. To top it, financial burden, debt, lack of funds and the decision to sell the club made by the American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett had taken a toll on Benitez who appeared depressed after Liverpool finished seventh and out of the Champions League. It had been a roller-coaster ride and a disappointing season and it only seems wise that both parties made the decision to part ways.
Despite all this, Benitez has a pretty good record. This is the man who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 secured the FA cup the following season.
Moratti was all praise for Benitez, “I can only speak highly of him, because he is very talented”.
Benitez has some big shoes to fill, after Inter’s historical treble under the management of Jose Mourinho who left for Real Madrid. Inter Milan won the Serie A and the Italian Cup last season, and it still wasn’t enough for them when they also won the Champions League. It’s been a very successful season for Inter and Moratti hopes that the Spaniard can continue the club’s winning Streak.
“I know Benitez has a good record against Jose Mourinho, I think he’s beaten him five times,” said the Inter President.
“That’s a sign he does his research, works well and above all does not get the big games wrong”.
With high expectations Benitez will hopefully make a quick return to coaching and put on a show that will at least maintain the clubs current form and win some more silverware if he were to join.
His record at Anfield will prove that he puts a lot of thinking to his game play and will strive to achieve more. What concerns the President of Inter is that Benitez should be capable to keep up the club’s performance in the Champions League.
"It’s also important that he has always done well in Europe: to continue to get joy from the Champions League is our aim," Moratti added.
Even Javier Mascherano, one of the former player’s at Liverpool expressed his views in favour of the Spaniard’s joining Inter Milan.
“Only Benitez could take the place of a coach like Mourinho,” Mascherano said.
In his opinion, Benitez is better suited for the job, when compared to his counterparts.
“He is a great coach. He has charisma, personality, and winning mentality. He will find himself brilliantly in Italy because of the tactical game. Rafa studies everything on the table and directs the team from the bench like an orchestra conductor,” he added complementing him.
Mascherano also said, “After Mourinho, he is the only man capable of continuing Inter’s”.
Benitez had previously been a target for Juventus and since leaving Liverpool has been heavily linked with the San Siro, but now it appears he is the number one candidate for the management at Inter.
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