Soccer:INTER MILAN president Massimo Moratti admitted he lost patience with Rafael Benitez after the Spaniard demanded money to spend in the January transfer window. But he remained tight-lipped over the identity of Benitez's successor, with former AC Milan boss Leonardo reportedly set for the post.
The Serie A side confirmed yesterday afternoon an agreement had been reached over the termination of Benitez’s contract.
“I’m sorry the relationship with Benitez is over, but the split had now become inevitable,” news agency ANSA quoted Moratti as saying.
With Benitez back in Liverpool, his agent, Manuel Garcia Quilon, met yesterday with Inter vice-president Rinaldo Ghelfi, technical director Marco Branca and club lawyer Angelo Capellini to thrash out a compensation package.
Benitez’s future at the San Siro had looked bleak since he appeared to issue an ultimatum after leading Inter to success in the Fifa Club World Cup on Saturday. The Spaniard called for Moratti to back him in the upcoming transfer market after an otherwise poor start to the season, which has left the Nerazzurri well off the pace in the league, or dispense with his services.
The Inter president said in Gazzetta Dello Sport: “Maybe I was not very satisfied, regardless of the statements (from Benitez), up to the success in the Club World Cup, but then after the statements of the coach I no longer had any desire or patience to get on with it.
“If he had not made those statements would he have remained? I don’t know.”
Brazilian Leonardo, who had two spells at Inter’s great rivals Milan as a player and also served as technical director and last season as coach of the Rossoneri, is widely expected to be appointed to replace Benitez.
But Moratti was giving little away. He said to ANSA: “All the names that circulate about the next Inter coach are interesting.”
Asked if it would be Leonardo, he told reporters: “We’ll see, I will tell you when we decide.
Despite his time at the San Siro turning sour so quickly, Benitez does not bear a grudge against his former employers.
“I want to thank everyone for the support received during my experience at Inter,” ANSA quoted Benitez as saying.
“I want to thank personally and on behalf of my staff, players, employees of the club and fans who have placed their trust in us.”
The five-time reigning Serie A champions sit seventh in the 2010-11 table while they only qualified second in their Champions League group behind Tottenham.
Injuries to key personnel like Wesley Sneijder have not helped his cause, but the Nerazzurri have won just six of their 15 league games this term.
