Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez says he does not feel any extra pressure ahead of Sunday's La Liga game against Rayo Vallecano, despite reports suggesting either Zinedine Zidane or Jose Mourinho could soon replace him.
The tension has increased on Benitez following last week's 1-0 La Liga defeat at Villarreal, leaving the team five points adrift of co-leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, along with the added embarrassment of the club being thrown out of the Copa del Rey having fielded the ineligible Denis Cheryshev.
Benitez was backed by Blancos president Florentino Perez this week as "the solution, not the problem" at the Bernabeu, but local media speculation continues to focus on potential replacements with the club's former boss Mourinho added to the list this week after his Chelsea exit.
Asked by a French journalist about continuing reports that former Galactico and current Real Madrid Castilla B-team coach Zidane could replace him on the first-team bench, Benitez showed he recognised where these reports were coming from.
"You ask the same question every time," he told his pregame news conference. "Zidane is a good coach, and I believe he is in this phase of growing. Our relationship is very good, normal, we talk about which players will go up or down, and nothing more."
Mourinho's Chelsea departure was raised by a reporter, but Benitez shut the subject down quickly, replying: "No -- I have no opinion on that. I am just concentrating on my game."
The Madrid-born coach said he was just focusing on his own work and knew from experience that things could change very quickly in football: "I've been in this job for many years, in three different countries, winning trophies, gaining experience. I just do my work, put in my effort, and remain respectful.
"From there the rest is for other people. Every season is different, we have qualified in the Champions League in a brilliant way. In La Liga things can change completely in a few weeks, a few games.
"We'll have to wait until the end to see if I am wrong or not. I am very optimistic. We know there are many people waiting for the team to react, and for sure the players will do that."
When a reporter pointed out that his own Valencia team had come from behind at this stage of the season to win the title back in 2002, the former Liverpool, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Napoli boss also recalled that 12 months ago Carlo Ancelotti's team had been clear atop the table before ending the season in disappointment.
"I have full confidence -- last year Madrid were four points ahead and ending up losing out," Benitez said. "Valencia were eight points back and ended up winning the league.
"The marks are given out at the end of the season. This team are much better than some in the media say. We will keep fighting until the end."
Back on the subject of his underperforming team, Benitez followed Perez in saying that when Madrid's superstar players worked hard it allowed their quality to shine -- and was needed on Sunday against Rayo [who have lost on their last four Bernabeu visits by an aggregate score of 18-3].
"Yesterday, at [the club's] Christmas dinner, I was at the table with [Blancos legend] Amancio," he added. "He remembered Alfredo Di Stefano saying the most important thing was to work as hard as possible.
"We are a team, historically, with intensity and good football, going out to win, and to play well whenever they could. Always, for us, it is important to work hard so that we can then get the most out of our quality.
"If we do that right, we can beat anyone. Rayo are a team who attack, play open football, so we must be aware at the back, and use our quality in attack."