Real Madrid appoint Benitez

Rafael Benitez has been appointed as Real Madrid’s first-team coach on a three-year contract, the club have confirmed.

Rafael Benitez has been appointed as Real Madrid’s first-team coach on a three-year contract, the club have confirmed.

The former Liverpool, Chelsea and Napoli boss will succeed Carlo Ancelotti, who left the club at the end of the Spanish league season.

A short statement on Real’s official website read: “Real Madrid CF will present Rafa Benitez as the new first-team coach for the next three seasons today, Wednesday 3 June.

“The ceremony will take place at 1pm CEST [12pm BST] in the presidential box of the Santiago Bernabeu. Following his unveiling, Rafa Benitez will hold a press conference in the press room.”

Benitez left Napoli on Sunday after two years in charge, following a fifth-placed finish in Serie A.

The Madrid native began his coaching career at Real but has been away from Spain since 2004, when he left Valencia to take the helm at Liverpool. Landing the Real job is the biggest challenge of Benitez’s career.

He has been one of the biggest coaching names in football for more than a decade having led Valencia to two Primera Division titles, back-to-back appearances in the Champions League final and a UEFA Cup crown.

He also steered Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, where his team staged a stunning comeback in the final to beat an Ancelotti-led AC Milan.

Benitez also won the FA Cup and UEFA Super Cup while at Liverpool.

He coached Inter Milan in 2010 but was sacked three months into the Serie A season.

Benitez also led Chelsea to the Europa League title in the 2012-13 campaign before joining Napoli. The Spaniard then guided Napoli to Coppa Italia success in his first season in charge.

Had Napoli won their last game of the season against Lazio on Sunday, they would have finished third and qualified for the Champions League preliminary round.

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