If Rafa Benitez was hoping that a return to Spain with Celta Vigo would help cure his post Everton woes, it’s clear that he was sorely mistaken.
That’s at least what the latest from Estadio Deportivo would suggest, with the former Liverpool and Everton coach seemingly sliding further and further off the rails.
The newspaper explains that with just one win in nine games so far, the situation at Celta Vigo under Benitez ‘is critical’. They are now five games without a win and in the relegation zone, following a draw with Getafe.
Many are now beginning to look at the bench and question Benitez, who was hired in the summer in his first job following his miserable spell at Everton.
Things have continued how they left off at Goodison Park, though, with a miserable start to the season already raising questions and it seems his own frustrations.
Estadio say that ‘he seems nervous’, with it rare for a press conference to go by without him attacking the referee, Javier Tebas and the economic model he’s imposed on La Liga or various other subjects.
That continued in and after the draw with Getafe, when he not only criticised the way his opponents had wasted time but even wanted to remind people of his CV.
“I can talk about Valencia, Liverpool, Napoli and even Real Madrid. I like my team to be orderly, balanced and score goals,” he said.
That ‘anger’ was also seen on the sidelines, when he accused Getafe’s footballers of time wasting and even had a very public falling out with Jaime Mata.
“I was going to make a comment that we are not going to improve football this way and I have found some very striking comments that come from within. It surprises you because I come from a football where these things do not happen,” Benitez added afterwards.
Estadio say he ‘seems to long’ for the Premier League, despite his time at Everton being a disaster, perhaps hoping for a return once again and the chance to re-do what he did at Liverpool instead.
