'Unfavorable environment': Rafael Benitez opens up on relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid

After a disastrous 2015-16 season coaching Real Madrid, Rafael Benitez has taken aim at his former side, and some of their ex-superstar players, notably Cristiano Ronaldo.

After Carlo Ancelotti's departure as Real Madrid manager, Rafael Benitez was named interim manager before the 2015/16 season. He signed a deal for three years, but he was let go after just seven months. The team was just two points off of first place when the former Liverpool, Newcastle, and Everton boss resigned.

A tumultuous stint that culminated in his dismissal at the beginning of 2016 was largely the result of his disagreements with a number of stars, including crucial players. After that, Zinedine Zidane took over as manager, and he would go on to claim three straight UEFA Champions League championships.

Despite the fact that they have now been awarded medals for their decision to fire Benitez, the former Liverpool manager has come out in defense of his dismissal, claiming that he was fighting a losing battle in difficult conditions in Madrid. Particularly, he pointed to issues with Cristiano Ronaldo and other players' management as something that affected the whole team.

What was Rafael Benitez's relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid?

Speaking to Cadena SER, the 62-year-old Benitez admitted that he had a difficult time managing a divided dressing room that included Cristiano Ronaldo and noted that he had inherited a mess following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.

"When we arrived in Madrid, Ancelotti had just left, he had a very good relationship with the players, and it seemed that we arrived with a whip. There was an unfavorable environment: the departure of [Iker] Casillas, Keylor Navas, the arrest of [Karim] Benzema... There are complicated situations. And when everything gets complicated, who pays? Me.

“The only comment I made to Cristiano Ronaldo, as I knew him from Manchester United, is that we analyze how he was shooting free-kicks. We looked at the trajectory, see if we can make any adjustments, saw we couldn't and forgot about it. It's my only conversation with him. Everything else is a lie. When he takes free kicks, when I leave, his stats are worse.

"I was surprised that journalists I knew would say that without talking to me. Cristiano, knowing what he was like, you had to guide him. The problem is when you have to guide seven, some of them don't play, they're not happy. And they go to the media to leak it."