Rafa: dead man walking?RAFA BENITEZ has sensationally admitted he EXPECTS to be sacked by Liverpool. And the Kop boss could get the elbow as soon as next month if Liverpool crash out of the Champions League. The Spaniard is a dead man walking on Merseyside after American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks REFUSED to discuss a new contract for Benitez despite his pleas. And now the Kop boss is on yet another collision course with his bosses after again criticising Liverpool's lack of spending power.
A close friend of Benitez said: "There was no talk of a new contract when Rafa met with the owners last month. "He also knows there will be very little money for him this month to buy the centre-half that he believes he needs. "There is also the problem of Javier Mascherano. He will not sign because he does not know whether the manager is going to be there this season, let alone next.
"Manchester United and Arsenal are bringing in over £2million per home game, while Chelsea can turn to Roman Abramovich. Liverpool don't have the cash to live with them. "Rafa wants to stay but now he believes he will be sacked because the owners have not shown they will back him."
Benitez's current deal has another two years to run but the Spaniard already appears to be making plans to leave. He has been linked with the Bayern Munich job and sources in Spain claim Benitez's representatives have been sounded out by Real Madrid.
Defeat to Inter Milan next month would virtually seal Benitez's fate with the owners, especially after the Liverpool manager's latest dig. Rafa moaned: "We must do almost everything perfectly to compete with the likes of United. Over a season it is a massive difference in what we bring in compared to United.
"They can buy two top-class players with this money every year. How can you compete? With the Premier League, it is clear we are a little bit behind the others. If they continue spending it will be more difficult." For Hicks and Gillett, Benitez's bleating are growing harder to take and with the manager now admitting he expects the axe, they will find it even more simple to sack the Spaniard.