Juventus eager to secure Benitez for next season


Juventus are increasingly keen to secure Rafael Benitez for next season after their disappointing campaign suffered further blows in recent days.

Rafael Benitez has endured a difficult season with Liverpool

Juve have already dismissed Ciro Ferrara after the club's elimination from the Champions League and Coppa Italia, while his short-term replacement, Alberto Zaccheroni, saw the club exit the Europa League last week after defeat to Fulham.

Their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are also in doubt after a 1-0 defeat to Sampdoria on Sunday left them sixth in the table.

Zaccheroni is in place until the end of the season, but the club's deputy director general, Roberto Bettega, has indicated that they are eager to press ahead with the appointment of a manager for the new campaign.

"The objective now is to make it to the Champions League zone of the table," he said. "We must not ignore the current situation but at the same time it would be wrong not to think of the future. My task is not saying what Juve's problem is but acting on it."

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini, who had success in Serie A with Inter Milan, was linked with the post after his trip to Craven Cottage to watch Fulham's 4-1 win over Juve on Thursday, but both Mancini and Bettega dismissed any speculation that he was a contender. City played Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.

Fiorentina boss Cesare Prandelli is thought to be on Juve's shortlist, but reports in the Italian press on Monday state that Benitez is still the No. 1 target.

Should Liverpool fail to make it into next season's Champions League, that may hasten Benitez's move to Turin, although he would like to be considered for Real Madrid.

Benitez, who speaks fluent Italian, is highly thought of among the Juve hierarchy and is being courted by Bettega and one of the Spaniard's old friends.

A leading Italian source told Soccernet: "Everyone is guessing, but there is no doubt Juve want Benitez. He speaks Italian, and I am sure he will be interested - if he cannot go to Real."

Italian paper Corriere dello Sport reports that Benitez would be eager to take both Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano to Juve should he take the job, but there are significant doubts about whether they could afford the estimated £100 million the duo would cost or, indeed, whether they would want to remain united with Benitez. Dirk Kuyt would be a far more realistic target for Benitez and Juve.

sos : soccernet

who will replace him?

i like reira....his movement just like torres...when he play, he can deliver crosses to our striker....but say something bad about our club was not a good move.....you can leave the club by asking being in transfer list....and keep the bad things from media...well good luck Reira! ...have a save journey...we will make 'this ship sailing again' ...

This post has been edited by normeck: Mar 24 2010, 08:19 PM

but they have rights to voice their feeling towards the club, in proper way..

lol...

what happen to sopcast???

switch to fox soccer

rest Torress!!!!

it's not Lucas fault that we losing to Benfica...it's how we play against Benfica, and Lucas shouldn't be playing as DM ..as far as i know, Lucas was an AM ..so how come a player that have a creativity to go forward, has been ask to be at defensive side....

Frustrated Benitez has dig at crock Aquilani

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has launched a thinly-veiled attack on Alberto Aquilani over the Italian's frequent injury complaints.

Aquilani, a £20 million summer signing from Roma, claims he has injured the same right ankle which delayed the start of his Anfield career, but Benitez thinks the problem may be psychological.

Benitez, whose Liverpool side lost 2-1 to Benfica on Thursday while Aquilani was sidelined, said: "He was complaining of pain in his ankle and said he couldn't train.

"We'll have to talk with the doctors to see what's going on because at the moment we don't know. He has some pain and we will just analyse that with the doctor. It's the same ankle he did before.

"Some players maybe can manage with the pain, but some - when they have pain - cannot. When you talk of pain you never know, it depends on each individual and that makes it really difficult."

Benitez has tried to protect Aquilani since his return from surgery in the summer but the midfielder has made just eight starts all season.

sos : soccernet

eh..why? and since when?

who was the playmaker??

10 minute and Rafa expect Aqua can do some magical?

eh.. i also think that winning Europa will get into CL ....

@Reds In Hell

you and duke are in the same ship

well, i hope you will keep in touch in here...duke seldom posting here, but once he post his opinion, it would be a good post...he like to keep this thread to be a quality posting in Liverpool thread...you can see older thread to see how he saw Liverpool ....he will go deep through to discuss this things out...
most of us including me only know how to discuss tactics and bla bla bla....

not to disrespect all members here, but we all agreed that duke was one of the Elite here...
injecting a new blood, like you reds, will give a different opinion and view about our club...something to share...well enjoy your stay here...

highlight please...

did i see Lucas on scoring sheet? he play DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER????

http://www.myp2p.eu/

http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=71120&part=sports

come on!! finishing!!!