Will Rafael Benitez replace Frank Rijkaard?

March 26, 2008 - at FC Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid

According to British newspaper Daily Mirror, Rafael Benitez is expected to become the new coach of FC Barcelona if Rijkaard leaves Camp Nou at the end of the season. This newspaper also insists Johan Cruyff, president Laporta’s closet adviser, has already made a report urging the club to ignore the options of Jose Mourinho an instead pursue Benitez to replace Rijkaard, who could leave Barcelona this summer. So far, Mourinho is the candidate that vice-presidents Ferran Soriano and Marc Ingla defend.If the Spanish manager decides to leave Anfield by the end of the season to come back to Spain, he could choose between Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid or Valencia, the club that Benitez left to join Liverpool.Anyway the Liverpool coach has frequently maintained he wants to stay at Anfield for the foreseeable future and still has more than two years remaining contract. But Barça president Jan Laporta has placed Benitez at the top of his wanted list to replace Frank Rijkaard as coach because despite guiding Barça to the Champions League quarter-finals, Rijkaard’s future at the Camp Nou is under threat because is behind Real in the Liga for the second successive season. However, any move for Benitez will only take place if Laporta himself remains at Barça beyond the end of the season.While there is a perceived lack of respect in England for his achievements at Liverpool, Benitez is one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe after leading the Anfield outfit to two Champions League finals in three years.