Benitez lays blame for Inter slump on Moratti

05 October 2011 20:05

Spanish coach Rafael Benitez says Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti is to blame for the club's current slump on the pitch.

Benitez lasted less than six months in the job and was fired despite winning the Club World Cup.

Since Jose Mourinho left at the end of the 2009/10 season, Inter have had four coaches.

And Benitez says the problem is Moratti.

"He makes a lot of mistakes, since me he's had three more coaches which means the president makes a lot of mistakes, maybe too many," the former Liverpool and Valencia boss told Sky Sport.

"Inter didn't behave in the correct way with me, they didn't appreciate my ability as a coach despite winning two titles with me in the Italian Supercup and the Club World Cup.

"That still sits uncomfortably with me."

Benitez had a difficult start to life in charge of Inter last season, with his team struggling in the league and qualifying second behind Tottenham in their Champions League group.

They were far from out of the Serie A running at Christmas but trailed leaders and city rivals AC Milan by 13 points, although with two winnable games in hand.

However, after winning the Club World Cup in December Benitez complained that the club had not backed him in the transfer market and that either they should buy three or four players in January or find another solution.

Inter opted for the latter, terminating his contract only to bring in four players when Brazilian Leonardo took over.

Inter recovered of sorts under Leonardo finishing second in the league, winning the Italian Cup and reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

He left in the summer, however, to take over as director of football at Paris St Germain and Inter appointed Gian Piero Gasperini to replace him.

However, Moratti gave Gasperini just four games -- in which Inter suffered three defeats and earned no victories -- before ditching him too and bringing in Claudio Ranieri.

Although Inter won their first two games under Ranieri, at the weekend they lost 3-0 at home to Napoli and now sit one place above the relegation zone.

Source: AFP