Madrid Sack Juvenile Team Coach Over Criticism Of First Team Players

By Joshua Walters

Real Madrid have sacked a youth team coach for aiming a swipe at some first-team players in the aftermath of the side's Copa Del Rey defeat to Barcelona.

Barcelona eliminated Real Madrid from the Copa Del Rey after a 3-0 win at the Bernabeu, and Alvaro Benito took to the radio the next day to slam some of the first-team players over the result.

Benito, 42, ripped off the likes of Casemiro and Toni Kroos on Spanish radio, despite being in charge of the club's Juvenile B.

Benito did not hold back when analysing the two midfielders' performance in the Santiago Bernabeu defeat in the recent Clasico.

Sergio Ramos was also not left out of criticism, as Benito felt the skipper should have done better for the opening goal. 

Benito's unapologetic words came after he heaped praises on Vinicius on Cadena SER for his display on Wednesday.

"I think Vinicius has been a welcome arrival and I think he has surprised everyone with the high level he has been playing at," Benito said (as per Marca)."

"He's a youngster, but he shakes up the attack. We're talking about a match between Real Madrid and Barcelona and, of the 22 players, he was the one who was most able to make things happen in attack.

"For me, the problem is that there are players playing well below their level. I'm speaking about Casemiro, who isn't ready to play a single minute in my opinion.

"With [Toni] Kroos, when the wind goes in our favor then we navigate it fantastically, but when it goes against we don't even get the boat in the water. There are others like this. 

"The first two goals were very preventable. With the first goal, I don't know if [Sergio] Ramos was slightly injured following the clash in the first half, but he went very tamely towards a ball that should be his."

The second goal is a great mess, with Barcelona not even needing to construct a great piece of play to get in behind. The response of Casemiro is a jog. It's surprising."

Speaking after this decision, the former Los Blancos player stated that he respects the club's decision and hopes to reunite with the Spanish once more in the future. 

Regardless, Benito's words might resonate with a few fans after seeing their team utterly collapse at home despite showing promise.

Saturday brings the opportunity of revenge, as Messi and his colleagues will return to the Bernabeu but, this time around, in La Liga game.