Rafa Benitez has been sacked as Celta Vigo head coach after less than a season in charge.
Celta’s 4-0 defeat at Real Madrid on Sunday leaves the club just one place and two points above the relegation zone in La Liga.
Benitez, 63, won only five of his 28 league matches in charge of Celta — collecting 24 points in the process — having been appointed last summer.
Celta thanked Benitez and his departing staff in a statement on Tuesday, highlighting their “honesty and professionalism” during their time at the club.
𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 📣 Rafa Benítez y el RC Celta separan sus caminos.
Nuestro más sincero agradecimiento a @rafabenitezweb y su cuerpo técnico por la implicación, honestidad y profesionalidad que han mostrado desde su llegada al club.
¡Mucha suerte y éxito en el futuro!
— RC Celta (@RCCelta) March 12, 2024
Celta face Sevilla, who are four points above them, in their next La Liga match. They are two points above 18th-placed Cadiz, who ended a six-month winless run in La Liga at the weekend by defeating Atletico Madrid 2-0.
Benitez was Liverpool manager for six years between 2004 and 2010 and won the Champions League in 2005. He took over at rival club Everton in June 2021 but was sacked in January last year after nine defeats in 13 games.
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He also had a three-year spell at Newcastle United, leading the club back to the Premier League in 2016-17 after winning the Championship.
Benitez has also managed Real Madrid, Napoli, Inter Milan and Valencia. He had a brief period as interim coach of Chelsea where he won the Europa League in 2013.
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(Diego Souto/Getty Images)
