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Rafael Benítez left the Dalian Pro of the Chinese Super League, and the Spaniard said on Saturday that the COVID-19 pandemic was a factor in his decision.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid head coach was hired on a lucrative contract worth £ 12 million ($ 16 million) per year after he left Newcastle United in 2019.
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“Unfortunately, like so many things in the last year, COVID-19 has changed our lives and our projects. As of today, both my coaching staff and I will no longer train Dalian,” Benitez said in a statement.
“The pandemic is still here, for all of us, and supporting our families has been a priority in making this decision.”
Dalian did not qualify for the Super League Championship stage last season, which was hit by the pandemic and finished seventh in its eight-team group. But they secured their top flight status in the relegation playoffs.
Benítez said he hoped he had left behind a vision on which to build the club.
“I am convinced that we have left a structure and a methodology that will allow the project to go ahead successfully,” added the 60-year-old.
“The first team has been rejuvenated and the foundations for the future have been laid, from the grassroots schools to the top.”
