Rafa Benitez Reportedly Fighting Real Madrid Dressing Room After Sevilla Loss
Dissent has reportedly fallen upon Real Madrid after the Spanish media said tension has grown between coach Rafael Benitez and his squad.
El Confidencial (h/t SPORT) have suggested Los Blancos players reacted badly to criticism from the manager after they were beaten 3-2 by Sevilla on Sunday.
Alvaro Arbeloa and Isco were named by the newspaper as two individuals who were upset by Benitez, and were angered by the coach's "critical comments."
Benitez suffered his first defeat in La Liga since taking the reins from disposed boss Carlo Ancelotti—who was hugely popular among the team's superstars.
The former Liverpool manager spoke publicly about the defeat, and said his side were not good enough in the second half, refusing to mince his words, per Sky Sports:
"It looked as if the game was under control, but it turned out it wasn't. In the second half we lacked consistency and didn't know how to manage the situation.
We played really well in the opening 30 minutes and were in control in every sense and then we allowed them to concede from a set-piece. We started the second half well and then we made more errors. Then it was a case of who wanted it more.
"
The assertion that Sevilla "wanted it more" will not go down well in the Madrid dressing room, and how they react after defeat will now be fascinating with El Clasico approaching on Nov. 21.
This is the first evidence of disharmony among the Real personnel, and it's only taken one loss to facilitate a reaction.
Benitez's preference for a defensive style of football was always going to raise questions among players and supporters, but the doubts only appear when the team are not winning.
Eurosport's Graham Ruthven doesn't believe the coach will be tolerated by the alpha-male contingent in his squad:
"It’ll be like the classroom scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, with Benitez calling Cristiano Ronaldo’s name over and over again on the roll call. “Cristiano? Cristiano? Cristiano?” It can’t be long before Ronaldo is as bored with Benitez as Bueller was with his economics teacher, and feigns illness to sing in a parade or join PSG.
"
Madrid's fortunes have rocked back and forth in the past decade, but one element you can expect from them is to entertain.
However, this isn't the Benitez way; he is a man who prides himself on his team's defensive concentration, and this is not a skill set hugely on offer at the Bernabeu.
The club's primary defenders are known for their ability on the ball, rather than their discipline and patience, and Benitez will struggle to control the tactics if he loses the dressing room anytime soon.
.jpg?w=600 "Most Likely Post-June 1 Trade Candidates 👋")
