Benitez Ousted By Inter After Just Six Months
Rafa Benitez has been sacked by Inter Milan.
The former Liverpool boss parted company with the Champions League holders after just six months with the club despite winning the World Club Final for the first time last weekend.
In a statement on Inter’s website they announced that the club had agreed “a mutually satisfactory agreement for the early termination of his contract.”
Benitez took over at the San Siro in June, shortly after Jose Mourinho’s departure for Real Madrid and soon after Benitez himself had been sacked by Liverpool. The club won the Italian Super Cup at the start of the season but lies in seventh place in Serie A, 13 points adrift of arch-rivals AC Milan having won just six of their 15 league games this season.
Rumours of Benitez’s departure began at the weekend after he issued a “back me or sack me” ultimatum to the Inter board following their 3-0 win over African champions TP Mazembe in the World Club Final in Abu Dhabi.
“There are three possibilities for the club,” he said. “One, 100% support for the coach and buy four or five players to build a stronger team with competition among the players to be able to carry on winning matches and trophies.
“Two, carry on like this without a project, without planning, and go ahead with one person to blame, for the whole season.
“The third,” he added, “is to speak to my agent to reach an agreement if there is not this support. Simple.”
Inter’s relatively poor league showing this season after winning the title five years on the trot has frustrated their fans and their second-place finish in the group stages of this season’s Champions League has given them a tricky last-16 tie with Bayern in a repeat of last season’s final.
Speaking after his dismissal Benitez thanked the club and its supporters.
“I want to thank everyone for the support I have received during my experience with Inter and I want to thank personally, and in the name of my assistants, the footballers, club staff and fans who had faith in us,” he told the Italian news agency, ANSA.
“The two titles we won are the results of hard work from all those by our side who maintained professionalism, manners and respect for the club.”
