Expectation is to win everything: Benitez

Real Madrid boss speaks ahead of club’s season opener against Sporting

BARCELONA/ MADRID: Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez accepts he must challenge to win every trophy available this season to satisfy the demands of the club’s fans.

Benitez will take charge of his first competitive game when Real travel to Sporting Gijon to get their La Liga campaign under way on Sunday.

Despite spending hundreds of millions of euros, Real have managed to win just one league title in the past seven seasons.

However, Benitez shrugged off suggestions that La Liga must be the priority over the Champions League this season because as a former player and youth coach at the club he knows the expectation is to win everything.

“I know what the people think, the fans and our members think, they want the team to win the league but also the Champions League and the Cup,” said Benitez. “To win the league we have to start well against Sporting. But when the Champions League and Cup games arrive the demands will be the same. It is not a surprise that we have to win titles. It is normal at Real Madrid.”

Meanwhile, Benitez denied reports he was looking for another striker to arrive at the Bernabeu before the transfer window closes and reaffirmed that Arsenal-target Benzema will be central to his plans this season.

Alba back for Barca’s opener at Bilbao

Barcelona have a fit-again Jordi Alba available for Sunday’s opening La Liga match of the campaign at Athletic Bilbao, said the Spanish and European champions on Saturday.

The Spain fullback, who damaged a thigh muscle in this month’s Gamper trophy invitational match against AS Roma and missed the Spanish and European Super Cups, has been given the all-clear by club medical staff, said Barca on their website.

Neymar is still recovering after a bout of mumps and was not included in the squad for the match at the San Mames, although he returned to training on Saturday and coach Luis Enrique told a news conference the Brazil forward would be back soon.

Barca, chasing a sixth La Liga title in eight years having won a treble of Champions League and Spanish league and Cup last term, are looking to bounce back after they lost the Spanish Super Cup to Bilbao 5-1 on aggregate.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2015.

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