Benitez criticises Real Madrid president

Former coach Rafael Benitez has strongly criticised the direction of the Spanish football club by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

Benitez was sacked in early January after just six months being in charge and before the halfway point of the season: A bitter blow for a man who had shed tears at his presentation last June as he returned to the club where he had begun his career, reports Xinhua.

However, he admitted he had been surprised at the way Perez ran the club.

"My assistant, Fabio Pecchia said there was permanent pressure from the president, who was always hanging around, he spoke to the players and the press every day and it's not easy for a coach, especially one who has been in England, to see the president do that," said Benitez, who believes Perez's constant changing of coaches has hindered the club.

"The key to winning a league is consistency. You have to beat Barcelona, who have a style and a model of play, whereas Real Madrid change coach every year and have to start from scratch. That is the reason they have won just one league and Barcelona have won five of the last season. Barcelona have won more than double the number of trophies that Real Madrid have while Perez has been president."

Benitez said it was almost impossible to work with Perez, who has sacked coaches such as "Camacho, del Bosque, Pellegrini, Mourinho, Ancelotti. It is not easy. You have to everything perfectly because the moment the president believes you have done something wrong, you have problems".