Benitez issues Inter warning
0 
 |
| Inter Milan players celebrate with the Club World Cup trophy after beating African side TP Mazembe 3-0 in the final in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Saturday. |
Rafael Benitez, buoyed by Inter Milan's Club World Cup victory on Saturday, told the European champion to back him with new signings or consider whether it wanted to keep him as coach.
Benitez, who came into the tournament with his job on the line, stressed that his relationship with club president Massimo Moratti was good before listing three options Inter had after a 3-0 win over Africa's TP Mazembe earned it the title.
"One, 100 percent support for the coach and buy four or five players - to build a stronger team with competition among the players to be able to carry on winning matches and trophies," a bristling Benitez said at a news conference. "Two, carry on like this without a project, without planning and go ahead with one person to blame, for the whole season getting to May this way. The third is to speak to my agent, reach an agreement if there is not this support. Simple."
While Inter was celebrating a third world club title and fifth trophy this year after goals from Goran Pandev, Samuel Eto'o and Jonathan Biabiany, its Serie A form is a worry with the champion in seventh, 13 points behind leader AC Milan.
The coach's comments brought an immediate response from Moratti, who praised Benitez for the way he masterminded the win but said it was not the time to talk about new signings.
"It's not the moment to ask (for reinforcements) and it is not something we will decide now," Moratti told reporters. "He managed the game very well, I saw his handiwork."
Benitez has struggled for results with a squad plagued by injuries since replacing Jose Mourinho. The Spaniard said Inter had spent nothing to strengthen the squad this season after he had initially asked for three or four new players to ensure the team improved.
"After winning so much the competition among players will be positive," said Benitez. The Spaniard concluded there must be a reason for a squad with so many injuries so he ordered a scientific study. "It's clear that this team has all the risk factors," he said. "The first is age - there are 15 players over 30."
Players had not had sufficient rest after the World Cup in South Africa which brought more risk of injury, he added.
"The players were squeezed to the maximum," he said.
Mazembe, from Democratic Republic of Congo, was the first team from outside Europe and South America to reach the final since the tournament was started in its current format in 2005.
It impressed with wins over Pachuca of Mexico and Brazil's Internacional on its way to the final.
Asked if his club would look to strengthen with players from outside Africa, Mazembe's Senegalese coach Lamine N'Diaye said: "I think there are enough good players on the African continent to hope to one day win this match."
