Most people have given Rafa Benitez only until the end of the English Premier League game on Saturday against West Brom before he is asked to leave his post as interim manager of Chelsea. However, the Spaniard is not the least worried, saying he shares an excellent relationship with blink-and-you-might-be-fired owner Roman Abramovich.
Benitez went on an astonishing rant after the F.A. Cup win against Middlesbrough, criticizing the fans for their treatment towards him ever since taking over while the Chelsea hierarchy was not spared as well for their decision to give him the title of "interim manager."
Those comments led to many suggestions that the former Liverpool manager's future, which he himself admitted only exists until the end of the season, would end even more prematurely.
Benitez, though, went about his work as usual Thursday and said he enjoys a very good rapport with Abramovich.
"My relationship with the owner is really good," Benitez told BBC's Football Focus. "Every time I talk to Abramovich about football, I enjoy (it).
"I know that he wants to win. I'm here because he wants to win and I will try to do my best until the last day.
"The relationship is fine. I don't have any problem with anyone.
"I have conversations with Michael Emenalo, the technical director, every single day. He watches the training sessions, we talk about football and when I meet Roman Abramovich, we talk about football.
"We talk like normal people. We share a passion for football."
Well, passion was certainly involved in that fiery press conference, and Benitez also insisted he has no issues with any players in the current Chelsea setup, including John Terry, who he reportedly had a falling out with.
"My relationship with the staff, the people at Cobham (Chelsea's training ground), is really good, fantastic," Benitez added. "The players are fully behind our ideas, 100 percent."
