Zidane gives backing to Benitez

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has quashed reports that the Spanish football giants are planning to replace head coach Rafa Benitez with either club legend Zinedine Zidane or former chief tactician Jose Mourinho who was sacked recently by English champions Chelsea.

The team went out of the Champions League at the group stage and their 2-1 defeat at Bournemouth last week left United in fourth place in the Premier League – six points behind the leaders Leicester.

“The first team is doing fantastic work with the coach”.

Despite having fallen out with a number of key players during his three years in charge of Madrid, Mourinho is known to still share a positive relationship with Perez.

Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Villarreal leaves Real third in La Liga – five points adrift of eternal rivals Barcelona after 15 matches.

However, Perez has quickly moved to end speculation that Benitez’s job is in danger, suggesting he was the solution to their problems, not the cause of them. “With him in command we returned to where we belonged”.

“I support Benitez, he is doing very well”, he said on Saturday.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, center, duels for the ball with Villarreal’s Eric Bailly, left, during a Spanish La Liga soccer match at the Madrigal stadium in Villarreal, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015.

Balague does not see Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola or Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone taking over from Mourinho at Stamford Bridge next season, though.

The German global also missed training on Thursday due to the flu but is expected to be fit should Benitez wish to recall him. They still give me thanks in the streets for signing him. Los Blancos” players and coaching staff are also set to showcase their “Merry Christmas’ messages next week so a convincing win against the side from Vallecas this weekend is much-needed.

After finishing a high 11th last season, they’re without a win in four matches and need to get more points on the board desperately.

Asked whether he had had happy memories of Mourinho’s spell at the club, Pérez added: “I have good memories of Mourinho”.