Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon says former boss Rafa Benitez was a ‘dead man walking’ from the moment he walked in the doors at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Benitez was fired earlier this month after just seven months in the role with reports of arguments with senior players. Fans and players were also unhappy with the playing style – deemed too defensive for a club so used to playing a ore swashbuckling type of football.
Speaking on Omnisport, Calderon revealed Benitez was never wanted from the start and was the fourth choice to replace Carlo Ancelotti last summer. Jose Mourinho, Joachim Low and Jurgen Klopp were all preferred ahead of the former youth team coach.
“Benitez was a coach who was already a dead man walking from the start at Real Madrid. That’s because he was not the chosen one, he was the fourth option. They tried to bring Mourinho but the Portuguese did not want to go back. After that they tried to get Joachim Low, and he didn’t want to come either. The third person they tried to get was [Jurgen] Klopp, and the German also rejected,” the ex-president stated.
He added: “So the last option was Rafa Benitez. They brought him in even though he didn’t suit Real Madrid’s style.”
