Football
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Rafa Benitez to attend Napoli news conference amid Real Madrid reports

Napoli have called an unexpected news conference for Thursday as reports linking Rafael Benitez with the head coach's vacancy at Real Madrid continue to gain strength.

The Serie A club close out their season with a home game against Lazio on Sunday, but Spaniard Benitez looks set to announce his impending departure for the Bernabeu three days earlier.

A statement published on Napoli's official website on Tuesday evening read: "President Aurelio De Laurentiis announced this afternoon that in a few hours time there would be some news.

"That news is that at 1300 [local time] on Thursday, there will be a press conference held by the club president, alongside Rafa Benitez."

Earlier in the day, the former Liverpool boss was described as being "99 percent" certain to be the next Real coach.

After weeks of speculation about his future, Carlo Ancelotti was sacked as Real boss on Monday with club president Florentino Perez announcing the time had come for a "change of direction."

Ancelotti's representative Ernesto Bronzetti fully expects the 55-year-old Benitez, who started his managerial career with Real's reserve side, to become the club's 13th coach since 2003.

Aside from Benitez, the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Michel and Unai Emery have been linked with the Real post.

The Madrid-born boss has previously spoken of his wish to manage Los Blancos, calling the club his "sweetheart" while he was in interim charge of Chelsea in 2013.

Perez said in a news conference on Monday night to announce Ancelotti's departure: "Next week, we will know the name of the new manager of Real Madrid.

"With our great team, talent and hard work, we will be able to give satisfaction and happiness to our fans and our members."

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