In an interview with La Marca, Rafael Benitez says he has more support amongst the Chelsea faithful than the sometimes-hostile atmosphere at Stamford Bridge would have youthink, and even though the Spaniard will be departing at the end of the season, he is proud of the job he and his staff have done under extremely difficult circumstances.
Despite the boosand negative chants the former Liverpool boss receives at nearly every Chelsea home game, Benitez says, “People are very civil to me out on the streets. Many Blues fans stop me and tell me to keep onplugging away and not to listen to the critics. I have a lot more day-to-day support than is shown, and people think.
“We are doing a great job,” he adds. “With threematches a week, it’s impossible to have an ideal physical, tactical and strategic training system. We have already played 63 official games this season, nine a month. We are in the semifinals of theFA Cup, in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, and third in the Premier League. Meeting our objectives.”
All this, he points out, with a squad that “is a bit thin in someareas.” The former La Liga and UEFA Champions League winner describes the Blues as a side “in transition,” moving away from legends like Didier Drogba andFrank Lampard while trying to embrace the new, “more technical” talents of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Oscar and Victor Moses.