Rafa Benítez appointed Panathinaikos head coach

Rafa Benítez has been appointed as the new manager of the prominent Greek club Panathinaikos FC, indicating his return to coaching after stepping away following his departure from Celta Vigo in 2024.

Fabrizio Romano mentioned in a post on Friday, “Rafa Benítez has officially taken on the role of head coach at Panathinaikos, with the agreement finalized today with the Spanish coach.”

The arrangement, which has been reported extensively by both Greek and international outlets, is set to last for two and a half years and positions Benítez among the top earners in the history of Greek soccer.

This agreement signifies the 17th managerial position for the 65-year-old and marks his comeback to coaching after a break of 19 months.

Panathinaikos is currently positioned seventh in the 14-team Super League Greece, accumulating nine points across six games, trailing league leaders PAOK by eight points but having one match in hand.

Regarded as a Spanish savior, Benítez, who has also led teams such as Valencia, Napoli, and Newcastle United in various seasons across Europe, is best known for his strategic brilliance when Liverpool triumphed over a stellar AC Milan squad in the 2005 Champions League final.

@PunchNG