Benitez waiting for the Barcelona bench

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez (47) is the main candidate to replace Frank Rijkaard (45) as Barcelona manager next season (read more here). With his efficiency on the pitch and his strong hand in the dressing room, the Spaniard would fit perfectly the profile set by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who is since a while convinced the Rijkaard era is over.

When Benítez earlier this season was rumoured to have serious problems with the American owners of Liverpool, Laporta contacted the manager a first time. At the end of last year Laporta held a meeting with persons close to Benítez. Upon that, Benítez, who was attracted by the Barcelona interest, stopped the ongoing negotiations with Bayern Munich to replace manager Ottmar Hitzfeld in the summer. At this moment, Benítez, whose contract expires in 2009, don't want to force an exit and is waiting until Liverpool makes the first move.

Barcelona president pushes Benitez option

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has put forward the name of Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez (47) as the one who should become the next Barcelona manager if the results force current manager Frank Rijkaard (45) to leave at the end of the season.

Is it said it was a go-between and personal friend of Laporta who informed the Barcelona president about the fact that the Liverpool manager is, contrary to what is generally believed, not untouchable. Laporta would have given the go-between the permission to contact Benítez discretely through the manager's former agent Manuel García Quilón.

With Benítez, who was not on the initial list of the technical staff, Barcelona president Laporta wants to have a valid successor for Rijkaard that is not former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45), who Laporta thinks could give problems cause of his character and the negative view of Barcelona legend Johan Cruijff and some media. Mourinho is nevertheless strongly supported by some members of the Barcelona board, including economic vice president Ferran Soriano and sports vice president Marc Ingla, and by an important part of the Barcelona fans.

Meanwhile British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Benítez, who has also attracted the interest of Spanish clubs Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Valencia, is supported by Barcelona legend Johan Cruijff, who would have made a report to Barcelona president Laporta about the manager issue.

(read more on the manager debate here)