Rafael Benitez wants to stay at Chelsea until end of the season
Last updated on .From the section Football
Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez says he has an "excellent" relationship with owner Roman Abramovich and will remain at the club until the summer.
The Spaniard criticised some Blues fans following Wednesday's 2-0 FA Cup win at Middlesbrough and also said he would leave in May.
"My relationship with Roman is very good," he told BBC Sport's Dan Walker.
When asked if he would be sacked, Benitez replied: "No. They know how we work and what we are trying to do."
He added: "The players are really happy in what we are trying to do. Sometimes you win, sometimes you cannot.
"The atmosphere in the club is really good. There are no issues in the team. In terms of what we do, the players are fully behind the methods.
"If we stick together and support the players, we will be able to win games. Then at the end of the season I will leave and then they can criticise."
The 52-year-old is contracted to Chelsea until the end of the season but his assertion that he will see out his deal at Stamford Bridge will come as a surprise to some observers, who believe Benitez's post-match outburst on Wednesday has increased the pressure on him.
In an interview with BBC Radio 5 live following Chelsea's FA Cup win at the Riverside, Benitez said the decision of the club to give him the title of "interim manager" was a "massive mistake" and that the fans were "wasting their time" in protesting against him.
"We still have 11 games to play in the Premier League, and we have the FA Cup and the Europa League," he continued.
"Everyone knows I will finish my contract at the end of the season.
"So this group of fans, who are singing and creating banners, have to concentrate on supporting the team. The rest of the fans, the majority of fans, know the way to help the team is by supporting the players.
"I'm thinking about my team and my club. I want to win every game. I've tried to explain the way is to support the team in every single game.
"We were winning yesterday and still they were singing. I think that will not do our team any favours."
Benitez has been unpopular with some fans since taking over from Champions League-winning manager Roberto Di Matteo in November.
A section of the club's supporters has been unable to forgive Benitez for his association with Liverpool, or forget the rivalry he formed with then Blues boss Jose Mourinho.
As Liverpool manager, Benitez outwitted Mourinho in the 2005 and 2007 Champions League semi-finals as well as the 2006 FA Cup semi-final. He was also critical towards his current club while in charge at Anfield.
Benitez's cause has not been helped by Chelsea's Premier League form.
They are through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and in the last 16 of the Europa League, but they have dropped to fourth in the league behind Tottenham, who are managed by former Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas.
Earlier this week, reports emerged from Stamford Bridge that Benitez was involved in a heated exchange with members of his squad following their 2-0 Premier League defeat at Manchester City on Sunday.
Benitez denied those stories, insisting the players backed him "100%".
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho, currently at Real Madrid, is favourite with the bookmakers to replace Benitez when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Chelsea were pursuing Pep Guardiola but the former Barcelona boss opted to join German giants Bayern Munich ahead of their next Bundesliga campaign.
Watch the full Football Focus interview with Rafael Benitez on BBC One, Saturday, 2 March at 12:15 GMT.
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2. If Mourinho goes back in the summer he's dafter than he looks. I'll give him 6 months as well 'cos that's all they ever get.
3. It's not the manager the fans ought to blame it's the owner, clueless boy with toy
Don't make banners about Rafa, make them about Chelsea. I don't see why this is being taken as such a surprise, or as an 'amazing rant'.
Chelsea fans too scared to openly criticise the owner, in case he clears off with all his money.
Its called being caught between the devil and the deep blue see.
Roman's making all the unpopular decisions, but the product of his decisions, cops for all the abuse.
Chelsea fans showing a touch of cowardice re Roman.
Come on you Chelsea pussies. GROW A PAIR. !!!!
I totally agree with Benitez. The fans will only have themselves to blame!
Half of you werent even there before your oil man took over!!
Get your plastic flags out and support your team!!
A: Yes, because all their managers are
Soon the tea lady will be getting players the sack.
I'd love for Chelsea to win the Europa League. Two European cup winning managers sacked in successive years. You can't make that sort of stuff up.