Rafa Benitez dismissed yesterday any links between him and Bayern Munich, saying he was happy to stay at Anfield. Today Bayern have claimed they weren’t interested in the first place. General Manager Uli Hoeness said: “We’ve spoken neither to Liverpool nor to Benitez.”
Bayern’s current coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is out of contract at the end of the season and up until now was looking likely to leave. But in the wake of these rumours Bayern say they’ll speak to their coach during their winter break about a new deal. Hoeness said: “I’m a very good friend of Ottmar Hitzfeld and I’ve given him my word that he’s the first person we’ll talk to in the winter break. If our talks are successful, we’ll have no need to talk to anyone else. If there’s no result, we’ll start thinking about another coach, but until we’ve talked to Ottmar in the winter break, you can take it there’s nothing to any of the rumours.”
The story broke over the weekend, with Rafa saying yesterday that despite being flattered he was happy with the whole package at Liverpool: “I heard about the rumours at the weekend and it is always flattering to be linked with other big clubs because it must mean you are doing something right – but even if I was approached I would tell whichever club it was that I am really happy with my club, my squad, my supporters and my city.”