Florentino Perez Comments on Rafa Benitez, El Clasico, More in Press Conference

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has given manager Rafael Benitez his full backing following Saturday's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The defeat to the Blaugrana was a second successive La Liga defeat—following the 3-2 loss to Sevilla—and Real now sit third in the Spanish top-flight, six points behind league-leading Barca.

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Sky Sports' Guillem Balague had indicated that Benitez was ripe for the sacking after just 12 league games in charge. But the Spanish manager has now received the full backing of Perez following a meeting of the Real board, per Gary Rose on BBC Sport:

"We have complete faith and confidence in Rafa," said Perez. "His job has only just started. Let him keep working, he will achieve his objectives."

Perez referred to Benitez as the "chosen one" and hailed his hard-working attitude, but he seemed to aim a swipe at former Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti, per Eurosport's Desmond Kane:

"

Rafael Benitez is the chosen one to bring success to this squad that since January has struggled. 

Now more than ever he needs the support of all of our followers. Since January this team has deteriorated, that much is obvious. We chose Rafa with the confidence he could turn it round because he works non-stop day and night.

"

However, Perez did not give Benitez any real long-term backing. The former Liverpool manager signed a three-year deal at the Bernabeu in the summer, but the club's president said on Monday that "you never know what happens in six months," per Rose. 

As noted by Spanish football expert Andy West, Ancelotti was given the full backing of Perez and the Real board just months before his eventual sacking:

Real's Saturday defeat was only their second in the league this season, but it seemed to illustrate a huge gulf in quality between them and archrivals Barcelona.

The hosts put in an undeniably poor performance, although Perez did not condemn the attitude of the players, per Spanish outlet AS:

Rumours have circulated of late that Benitez's relationship with some of his players is not good, particularly star man Cristiano Ronaldo, per Oliver Brown in the Telegraph. 

However, Perez denied any dressing-room rift with the manager, per AS:

Despite receiving the backing of Perez and the board, Benitez needs to turn around his side's fortunes fast if he is to remain as Real manager in the long-term.

Upcoming La Liga games against Eibar and Getafe could be the ideal tonic, but anything other than six points from those two games will be deemed unacceptable by Real's fans.