Raul Promoted in Real Madrid Coaching Set Up After Alvaro Benito Is Sacked for Criticising 1st Team

Raul Gonzalez has taken a meaningful step up the coaching ladder at Real Madrid, as the legendary former striker has been promoted to manage the club's Juvenil

Raul Gonzalez has taken a meaningful step up the coaching ladder at Real Madrid, as the legendary former striker has been promoted to manage the club's Juvenil B team.

After retiring in 2015 and taking a brief hiatus from the game, he has been back at the club undergoing his coaching badges and learning the trade with a number of the youth sides, and all signs point to the club being happy with his development. 

He will replace former coach Alvaro Benito in his new role, according to Marca, after the decision was taken to dismiss the 42-year-old due to comments made in the media about senior first-team players following Real's 3-0 Copa del Rey defeat to Barcelona. 

ÁLVARO BENITO en @carrusel

"Vinicius es una bendita irrupción, nos ha sorprendido a todos y da un nivelón. Es un juvenil pero desequilibra el ataque en los dos equipos"

"El problema es que hay jugadores como Casemiro que no está ni para jugar un minuto. Y Kroos parecido"

— Carrusel Deportivo (@carrusel) February 27, 2019

"Vinicius is a blessed irruption, he has surprised us all and gives us a level, he is a youth but he unbalances the attack in the two teams," he said. "The problem is that there are players like Casemiro who is not even to play a minute, and Kroos seemed like "

His comments were viewed to have been out of line among the club's higher-ups, and he has paid the price with his job.

However, where one door closes, another door opens, as they say, and seeing Raul take another step towards potentially being involved in the first-team set-up will come as welcome news to those of a Madrid persuasion.

Ronaldo and Raul at Real Madrid pic.twitter.com/sg4oO9Q0YA

— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) November 26, 2018

Himself a product of the youth academy where he now works, he was the club's record goalscorer until being usurped by Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring 325 goals in 741 games between 1994 and 2010. 

His legendary trophy haul includes six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues from his time in Spain, and is widely considered to have been one of the best strikers in the world.