Van Bronckhorst, Benitez look for winning start as league resumes

SHANGHAI: Rafael Benitez is batling to break one of the worst spells of his 34-year coaching career as he takes on Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Guangzhou R&F on Saturday in China with both desperate for victory.

Two of the biggest names in the Chinese Super League need a first win this season to prevent a poor start sliding towards crisis.

Under Benitez, reportedly one of the world’s best-paid coaches on an estimated £12 million ($15 million) a year ater tax, Dalian Pro have taken two points from four matches.

They sit one place above van Bronckhorst’s R&F in Group A of the delayed and reformated CSL, which has been split into two bio-secure “bubbles” to fend off possible coronavirus outbreaks.

Spain’s Benitez is keen to emphasise that Dalian are a young side, but the statistics make hard reading for the 60-year-old, who inspired Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2005.

Since arriving in China’s northeast in July last year, Benitez has won seven of his 21 matches and averages 1.24 points a game, according to transfermarkt.com.

That is the former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Inter Milan coach’s lowest return since he was sacked by Real Valladolid in 1996 ater two wins in 23 games.

In a 2-2 draw with FA Cup winners Shanghai Shenhua on Monday, Dalian started with five Chinese players aged 25 or under. Developing local players is prime among Benitez’s tasks.

However, they also have proven international experience with former Napoli skipper Marek Hamsik and Venezuelan ex-premier League striker Salomon Rondon, who scored both goals to rescue a point against Shenhua.

“People just analyse the result at the end of the game but our performance in the second half against Shenhua was quite good so I’m really pleased with the progression of the players and hopefully we can see that progression in the final score,” Benitez said in an interview aired Thursday.

“If Chinese football wants to grow and improve, what they have to do is concentrate on training sessions, coaching and the work of players, not just the final score.” Benitez noted that his team had one of the oldest rosters in the league last year and now had one of the youngest.

“That means we will need some time,” he said. Since the CSL kicked off five months late and behind closed doors because of the coronavirus, Benitez has cut a hot and bothered figure at times -- and not just because of the summer humidity.