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Rafa Benitez’s Greek stint is wobbling fast, and a familiar face from his Liverpool days is being lined up if results don’t turn.
Record deal, rough return
Benitez, 65, took the Panathinaikos job in October on a bumper contract reported at roughly £3.5m per year, a wage packet described as a league record.
Four months on, the numbers look shaky: 13 wins from 25 matches across competitions, with six defeats in that spell.
Fifth place and falling further behind
Panathinaikos sit fifth in the Super League, and reports say the gap to the Champions League spots has grown since Benitez arrived.
For bettors and weekend coupon-builders, that kind of drift usually means shorter patience from the board and jumpier prices on “next manager” markets.
Dressing-room grumbles hit the headlines
The noise isn’t just about results. Reports in the UK say some players are unhappy with the day-to-day, including complaints about a lack of detailed tactical work in match prep.
When that story gets out, it’s rarely a good sign for a coach trying to ride out a bad month.
Two matches that could decide everything
Benitez is said to have two games to save himself: Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, then OFI Crete in the league.
Panathinaikos vs Plzen is scheduled for 19 February 2026 in Athens.
If you’re the type who bets football and hates uncertainty, this is the classic “manager bounce” danger zone: you can be reading the team news and still not know who’s giving the team talk next week.
Biscan in the frame
Greek outlet Sport24 is cited as saying Panathinaikos have made contact with Igor Biscan as a potential replacement.
Biscan, 47, played for Panathinaikos after his Liverpool spell and was on Benitez’s books during the 2005 Champions League-winning season (unused sub in the final).
What it could cost
If Panathinaikos pull the trigger, Benitez could be due compensation reported around £4.4m. That’s the kind of bill that makes owners hesitate… right up until the next bad result lands.
