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Rafa Benitez's peers have rallied around the under-fire Real Madrid coach, with Luis Enrique, Michel, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger all offering words of support. Benitez, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, has come under pressure at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu following Saturday's 4-0 La Liga defeat at home to Barcelona. Madrid president Florentino Perez called a news conference on Monday to say Benitez retains the club's "support and trust," but he added: "I cannot say what will happen in future. Nobody knows what will happen in six months' time." Real Madrid Castilla coach Zinedine Zidane has been touted as a replacement should Benitez depart and, despite the former France star playing down his interest at the weekend, L'Equipe reports that he would be ready to step up. Former Blancos midfielder Michel, now in charge at Marseille, is another potential successor to Benitez but he told a news conference that nobody should be discussing the matter at this stage. "It seems to me a lack of respect to speak of the possibility that Zidane could be Real Madrid coach, with Benitez there," Michel said. "It is a bad way to talk about a Real Madrid coach, which is Benitez, and I hope he remains in the job for a long time yet." Barca coach Luis Enrique also backed Benitez when speaking ahead of Tuesday evening's Champions League clash between his side and Roma, saying the former Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Napoli coach had proven over his career he had a successful style of management. "All these [negative] comments are more for journalists than professionals [in the game]," Luis Enrique said. "We fellow professionals respect each other a lot. Obviously we do not always want things to go well for our rivals. Only one team can win La Liga, only one can win the Champions League and only one can win the Copa del Rey, and everyone looks for their own objectives. "Rafa Benitez is a great coach. Nobody doubts that. He is a proven coach who has won many trophies and has years of experience to back him up. He has his own way of doing things, and has shown what he can do." Mourinho, whose three-year spell at the Bernabeu came to an end in 2013, has regularly clashed with Benitez in the past but said he took no pleasure in Saturday's Clasico result. "In this moment, I see so many people speaking especially about the clubs in trouble," Mourinho said. "It's amazing the lack of respect and ethics. "If I speak about Real Madrid, I speak when they are winning. Not when they are losing. So, from me, words about the Clasico? Zero. I don't enjoy other people losing matches. I enjoy my club winning matches. I don't smile with defeats for other teams. I smile with my victories. That's why I've not smiled a lot in the last four or five months." Arsenal manager Wenger also told a news conference that it would "not be serious" for Perez to change coach so soon after appointing Benitez. "I would just like to take this occasion to support completely Rafael Benitez, who is an outstanding manager," Wenger said. "And I think it would be not serious to sack the manager after 12 games. I hope he will get the support of Florentino Perez."
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