Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 9y

Rafa Benitez confirms Napoli exit at end of season amid Real Madrid links

Rafa Benitez has announced that he will leave Napoli at the end of the season amid reports he will take the vacant head coach's position at Real Madrid.

Napoli had called an unexpected news conference for Thursday as reports linking former Valencia, Liverpool and Chelsea coach Benitez with Madrid continued to gain strength following Carlo Ancelotti's sacking on Monday.

The Serie A club close out their campaign at home to Lazio on Sunday, and Spaniard Benitez confirmed he will depart at the end of the season.

"My contract expires after the Lazio game and my cycle ends here," said Benitez.

That game is of utmost importance to the Serie A club. Victory would see them snatch third spot from the Biancocelesti while any other result would see them finish fourth, and only play in the Europa League next season.

The Stadio San Paolo is set to be full for Benitez's final game this Sunday evening, and he hopes to go out on a high having brought the Coppa Italia and Italian Supercoppa to the club in his two years at the helm.

"I want this to end well," he said. "I want to leave Napoli at the level they belong at. If we can break the record for goals scored in a season and finish third, I will be happy. We've made it nearly all the way in three competitions this season and that's not easy.

"It is always saddening to leave a place where you have been welcomed so well and where you have been happy. My decision is mainly down to my family. I tried to convince my wife, but family is always important.

"The president knows my family and knew that it would not be easy. He knew already, but he knew that we would still try to win as much as we could while he planned for the future."

Benitez's wife and children have continued to live in Liverpool even since the Spaniard left Anfield, and Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis hinted that Real may not be his destination.

"I'd like to thank Rafa, who I always really wanted as coach here," De Laurentiis said. "He convinced me immediately with the way he would have made this club more international.

"It was important to have a coach who knew how to get the best out of foreign players and he gave me all the guarantees, and so it proved to be.

"We gave him a contract with an option for an extra year and when we did it, Rafa made it clear to me that he would not continue. His wife and daughters wanted him in a place closer to them so I accepted that."

Of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's reported interest in Benitez, De Laurentiis added: "If Rafa ends up at Real Madrid, this confirms that I was right to choose him.

"I would also recommend him to Florentino. I hope that Rafa, if this is his decision, is handed a good contract... I hope Florentino prepares a good contract."

Earlier in the week, Benitez was described as being "99 percent" certain to be the next Real coach by Ancelotti's representative Ernesto Bronzetti.

After weeks of speculation about his future, Ancelotti was sacked by Real with Perez announcing the time had come for a "change of direction."

Bronzetti fully expects the 55-year-old Benitez, who started his managerial career with Real's reserve side, to become the club's 13th coach since 2003.

Aside from Benitez, the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Michel and Unai Emery have been linked with the Real post.

The Madrid-born boss has previously spoken of his wish to manage Los Blancos, calling the club his "sweetheart" while he was in interim charge of Chelsea in 2013.

Perez said in a news conference on Monday night to announce Ancelotti's departure: "Next week, we will know the name of the new manager of Real Madrid.

"With our great team, talent and hard work, we will be able to give satisfaction and happiness to our fans and our members."

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