Image Credits: Imago Images
The dugout has been just as chaotic as the transfer market this season, with Europe’s elite clubs already burning through some of the game’s biggest coaching names.
Enzo Maresca has gone from Club World Cup‑winning coach to out of a job at Chelsea by New Year’s Day, his relationship with the hierarchy collapsing almost as quickly as it was built.
At Manchester United, Ruben Amorim’s reign was also been cut short after just 14 months, the club deciding they needed a new direction despite heavy investment and a revamped football structure. Even Tottenham, who sold Thomas Frank as the man to lead a long‑term project, have already pulled the trigger with Spurs skirting dangerously close to the relegation scrap.
And now former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez finds himself fighting for his future at Panathinaikos, with local reports in Greece suggesting the club’s patience is wearing thin after a bleak run of performances and results.
ThePressRoom in Greece report that confidence in the Spaniard has been “shaken” inside Panathinaikos, with the team showing no real improvement almost four months into his reign despite significant backing in the transfer market.
The article stresses that this is not just about long‑term planning anymore, with Benitez now said to be under evaluation for the immediate future with the Greens currently in 5th place in Greece Super League.
Reliable Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has echoed that mood on social media, stating that “Rafa Benitez is under pressure at Panathinaikos.”
However, not all is lost for Benitez. The same report claims the club still publicly maintains belief that Benitez can “turn the card,” but the next matches are framed as decisive cushions of safety for a coach whose project was initially built around a 1.5‑year deal worth around three million euros per season.
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