Real Madrid news: Why Santiago Solari HAS to stay as boss | Football | Sport

That’s after Los Blancos beat Viktoria Plzen 5-0 in the Champions League last night with Benzema netting a brace and adding an badist in the Czech Republic.

Real have won all three games under Solari – who is still interim boss since being named as temporary manager in the wake of Julen Lopetegui’s sacking.

Los Blancos had initially wanted to appoint former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in the Spaniard’s place, but shied away from the Italian after captain Sergio Ramos publicly expressed his reservations.

Arsene Wenger, Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho have all been linked since then but it appears increasingly likely that Solari – who was Real Madrid Castilla boss for two years – will be given the position full time at least until the summer. 

The former Real midfielder has steadied the ship since coming in with the side scoring 11 goals and conceding none in his tenure so far. 

And Benzema has offered his support to the 42-year-old if he is to be given the job until the end of the season, insisting he “has to stay” because coming in for just a month would be pointless.

“Sure, why not, we’re fine with him,” Benzema said after winning in Plzen, as quoted by Marca.

“I don’t see a coach coming for one or two months, so for me Solari has to stay until the end of the season at least.

“He is a great coach, we now have more confidence and we are going to compete.

“I am happy with the victory and the goals. 

“And also with managing the match well because it was difficult, but with confidence we’ve done good things.”

And Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Odriozola is also keen for Solari to be kept on.

“Solari is an excellent coach who was also a very good player,” he declared.

“We focused on working with any coach but we will fight to the death for Solari.

“It was a great night, we needed a match like this to regain confidence. We leave here with a very good feeling.”

Discussing his future at a press conference to preview the clash with Plzen, the manager appeared to suggest that he has not settled his future just yet.

Solari said: “I am committed to my role, whether that be for two more days, or a week, just the same.”

Real face Celta Vigo in La Liga in their next match on Sunday (7.45pm) with Real required to announce a permanent appointment just days later.

That’s with Spanish Football Federation rules stipulating that clubs are “obliged to find a new coach who is licensed for the category within a maximum time frame of two weeks” after the managerial vacancy is made available.