‘Inter-Milan has not sacked me,’ says coach Benitez

LONDON - Rafa Benitez has denied he has been axed by Inter Milan and revealed he was just on his holidays in Liverpool.

The former Kop boss is under pressure after his ‘back me or sack me’ ultimatum to Inter-Milan president Massimo Moratti.

Reports suggested Moratti had decided to fire Benitez for the comments made following the 3-0 win over TP Mazembe in the Club World Cup final.

But Benitez, whose Inter side are in seventh place in Serie A and 13 points adrift of rivals Milan with two games in hand, was quoted by The Sun, as saying: “I have not been sacked.

He added: “Many people have called me up to ask me if I’d been dismissed. It’s not true, I am on holiday to rest and then to begin again.”

But Benitez again called for backing from Moratti in the transfer market.

He said: “I don’t want to put the president under pressure but I had spoken to him in the past about my project. My project was to include useful players immediately as well as young players for the future.

Moratti, with whom I have a respectful relationship, liked it. The president has to take a decision.” (ANI)