Rafael Benitez was given a three-year deal at Newcastle in May

Diego Maradona has questioned why Newcastle offered Rafa Benitez a three-year deal after his Real Madrid "failure".

Benitez signed the long-term deal with the Magpies in May this year, despite being unable to steer the club away from relegation from the Premier league after taking over from Steve McClaren in March.

The ex-Liverpool boss moved to the north east from Real Madrid, where he was sacked midway through the season with the Spanish giants trailing Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

Diego Maradona was involved in a half-time spat with Juan Sebastian Veron in Wednesday's charity Match for Peace Diego Maradona was involved in a half-time spat with Juan Sebastian Veron in Wednesday's charity Match for Peace

Former World Cup winner Maradona, who had a spell as manager of Argentina between 2008 and 2010, believes there are no excuses for Benitez's disappointing time in charge at the Bernabeu and has now aimed his bemusement at Sky Bet Championship side Newcastle for offering Benitez another chance.

Maradona told Marca: "If Benitez, whom I respect very much, was bad in Madrid, let him tell me it was for a lack of players!

"No, he failed. But after a while, after failing there, they gave him three years in Newcastle.

"Can someone explain it to me? Is that normal or does something go wrong?"

Newcastle began the new season in the second tier of English football badly, suffering defeats in their opening two fixtures, but have since turned their form around and are currently third in the Championship ahead of Saturday's visit of Brentford.

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