After his unceremonious sacking as Real Madrid manager, we look at five things Rafa Benitez got wrong during his time at the Bernabeu.

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1) FOLLOWING CARLO ANCELOTTI

No manager would been welcomed with open arms following the sacking of the popular Italian, and Benitez had the unenviable position of being unwanted from day one.

2) LACK OF TACTICAL CLARITY

Benitez arrived with a reputation as a defensive coach and at times lived up to that stereotype, while at other times playing in a cavalier fashion which lacked defensive balance.

3) BIG-BOY DEFEATS

Madrid hammered some minnows under Benitez, but he was condemned partly because they lost against Barcelona, Villarreal and Sevilla and only drew with Valencia and Atletico.

4) PLAYER POWER

Benitez and Madrid’s players regularly claimed that the manager had the full backing of his squad, but it never really looked that way as they often seemed lacking in passion and motivation.

5) NOT A FANS CHOICE

Ultimately, fans decide whether a manager should stay and if Benitez had been liked by Madrid supporters he would still be in charge. But they never wanted him in the first place.