Benitez plays Inter blame game

Former Inter Milan boss Rafael Benitez has blamed injury mismanagement and a lack of support in the January transfer window for his sacking.

Benitez was axed at the San Siro in December after just six months in charge of the Italian and European champions, who at the time were languishing in seventh place on the Serie A table and some 13 points behind leaders and bitter rivals AC Milan.

The Spanish coach issued an astonishing ‘back me or sack me’ ultimatum to club president Massimo Moratti after leading Inter to victory in the Club World Cup in December, as part of a demand for resources to purchase players in the upcoming transfer window.

But the tactic failed as Benitez was handed his marching orders days later, with former Milan boss Leonardo called in to revive Inter’s ailing season.

Now, Benitez has put the blame for his sacking solely on the club’s shoulders, saying a lack of communication and support made his stay untenable.

“I want to show some statistics based on the injuries so I am not misunderstood: 80 percent of those injured had the same or similar injuries in the previous two years,” Benitez told Marca.

“Myself and my staff did not have control over medical issues or the work of the club medic and his athletic coach.”

“We did not follow therapies or recoveries. And, a month after we left Inter there were eight muscular injuries.”

“I am sure (former Inter boss) Roberto Mancini is familiar with all of this.”

“Massimo Moratti knew we worked with difficulty. Some players performed, others didn’t.”

“He knew things were not going well, but there were no conditions to carry on. So we arrived at the decision (to sack the manager).”

“I had started well, but then things changed, internally too.”

“Opinions always changed. I don’t know why there was no summer transfer market and I was surprised.”

“They had asked me for a project to improve the squad. I wrote things down and the directors liked it, but then nothing happened.”

Inter have won seven of their past eight league matches under Leonardo to charge into third on the table, and are now just five points behind Milan.