Benitez replaces McClaren at Newcastle: How Twitter reacted

Premier League strugglers Newcastle United have appointed former Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez as their new manager on a three-year deal.

Benitez, who has also previously managed Napoli, replaces Steve McClaren, who was sacked earlier on Friday after nine months in the job, and is tasked with preserving his new club’s top-flight status with them sitting 19th, one point adrift of safety.

Benitez, who was sacked at Madrid in January, has been itching to return to the Premier League after a six-year spell at Liverpool, with whom he won the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup a year later, and a six-month interim role at Chelsea, which resulted in him landing the 2013 Europa League title.

Here, we look at how the football world and other famous figures have reacted to the news on Twitter:

CLUB STATEMENT: Steve McClaren’s employment with the Club ends with immediate effect https://t.co/FJ5EnE6jF4 #NUFC pic.twitter.com/v51eO10Hf9

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) March 11, 2016

BREAKING: Rafa Benítez confirmed as Newcastle United manager https://t.co/O4V9NssMqz #NUFC pic.twitter.com/ywlGb16vTJ

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) March 11, 2016

A dream in black and whitehttps://t.co/cexT1q4cdG #NUFC pic.twitter.com/HfL6zAILnO

— Rafa Benitez Web (@rafabenitezweb) March 11, 2016

Exciting appointment for @NUFC What a coup! Let’s just hope Rafa is allowed to do what he needs to do-manage!

— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) March 11, 2016

Rafa Benitez Welcome to Toon planet. pic.twitter.com/9k4vSip0IA

— Faustino Asprilla (@TinoasprillaH) March 11, 2016

Rafael Benitez in the #BPL…

254 – Played
141 – Won
61 – Drawn
52 – Lost

56% – Win percentage pic.twitter.com/skCV12nOqK

— Premier League (@premierleague) March 11, 2016

Welcome to #NUFC @rafabenitezweb if you do half the job you did at #Lfc you will be a Geordie legend

— Terry McDermott (@TerryMac777) March 11, 2016

I think Rafa Benitez will take the @NUFC Managers job and relish the challenge ahead with no puppeteers strings on his back#RafatheGaffa

— Mick Quinn (@mickquinn1089) March 11, 2016

GALLERY: 2005 #UCL winning coach Rafael Benítez is back as Newcastle manager. His career – https://t.co/ScFZM08OKd pic.twitter.com/JzNH0fuKpz

— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 11, 2016

I haven’t been this excited since we appointed Sir Bobby Robson as manager.#toonarmy

— antanddec (@antanddec) March 11, 2016

Newcastle have finally put Steve McClaren out of his misery. The running of that great football club is beyond shambolic.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 11, 2016

Good luck Rafa come on the Toon! https://t.co/Kt7aaqhAM4

— Warren Barton (@warrenbarton2) March 11, 2016

Steve might not have been a fans favourite but the way he has been treated and told is abhorrent, # feelashamed.

— Steve Howey (@stevehowey624) March 11, 2016

Great news with Rafa, quality manager so hopefully now the turn around in fortunes….bring on Leicester

— Steve Howey (@stevehowey624) March 11, 2016