Appointment of Spaniard was seen as a triumph but club are in the relegation zone and only a win against Granada will do
Rafa Benítez had started saying how proud he was to coach Real Club Celta de Vigo during their centenary when he gently applied a comic pause, glanced across at Carlos Mouriño, the president presenting him that July day, and smiled. “Well,” the new manager added, “hopefully I’ll make it: I’ll survive the whole year.” Which was when everyone laughed. Of course you will: you’re Rafa Benítez.
“This is a good day to introduce someone because the man being introduced doesn’t need anyone to introduce him,” Mouriño had said. “His curriculum, his history, his teams, his successes, his triumphs, his championships, speak for themselves. I don’t need to say it: the president of the league says it’s great a coach like Rafa Benítez is returning. This is not about Celta, this is a success for Spain. We needed people like him – and he came to us.”
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