Rafa Benitez Departs Panathinaikos After 41 Matches

rafa benitez has left Panathinaikos after a 41-match spell in charge, with the club parting ways after a disappointing finish in the Greek Super League championship play-off round. He took over in Athens on 24 October last year and departs with a 20-11-10 record across all competitions.

Benitez In Athens

Panathinaikos announced the departure of its head coach after the title group ended with the team bottom of the four-team championship play-off round. Benitez, the former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Newcastle United manager, arrived with the kind of European experience that usually raises expectations quickly.

That record never turned into a sustained push at the top of the table. Across 41 matches, Panathinaikos posted 20 victories, 11 draws and 10 defeats, a line that shows there were results to build on but not enough consistency to stay in the title race through the closing stage.

Panathinaikos Title Group

The turning point came in the championship play-off round, where Panathinaikos finished bottom of the four-team title group. That finish left the club with little room to defend the appointment, especially after bringing Benitez in on 24 October last year for a short-term reset in Athens.

For Panathinaikos, the change means a fresh start after a run that delivered more wins than losses but not the league position needed at the end of the season. For Benitez, it marks another short stop in a career built on high-profile jobs and quick judgments, this time ending after 41 matches rather than a full campaign.