Juventus interested in Benitez
by Mick Bates / 26 January 2010, 11:02TweetRumours are growing that Juventus could be ready to make a surprise bid to bring Liverpool boss, Rafael Benitez, to Turin. Speculation has been growing in the Italian media that current Juventus boss, Ciro Ferrara, is under increasing pressure with the club currently sixth in Serie A having lost five of their last six match and find themselves sixteen points behind leaders Inter Milan.
It would appear that time is running out on Ferrara, who is only in his first season as manager at the Stadio Olimpico and also his first season as a head coach after previously being the assistant Head Coach of the Italian national team. He replaced Claudio Ranieri who was sacked at the end of the 08/09 season after failing to win Serie A, finishing second behind Inter. That was a move which highlighted just how ruthless the Juve board can be and without a major trophy win since the Serie A /Champions League double in 2003, it is believed that the patience of club President, Jean-Claude Blanc, is wearing thin and time could soon be called on Ferrara's tenure.
If the rumours are true, then Juventus have already sounded out Rafa Benitez as the man to turn around the fortunes of the team and when Benitez's agent, Manuel García Quillón, spoke with press in Italy he replied by saying "Benitez to Juventus? In football you never know", which has only fueled the speculation.
It is somewhat ironic that Benitez is under as much pressure as the man he is being tipped to replace and for similar reasons. Both Liverpool and Juventus failed to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League and qualification for next season's competition is in serious doubt unless both improve on their current league form. Benitez has long been at the top of the Premier League Sack Race Betting and if Juventus did make an approach it is unlikely the Reds would stand in their way, in fact, Liverpool could profit from his departure rather than shell out the rumoured £20million it is believed it would cost to sack the Spaniard - one of the main reasons cited for him not having already been potted before now!
