Rafa Benitez has been sacked as Panathinaikos manager after only seven months in charge.The former Liverpool manager took over the Greek giants in October, signing a two-and-a-half-year deal worth approximately £4.4million per season. Benitez was the most expensive manager in Greek football historyGettyThe 66-year-old lost ten of his 41 matches in charge, leaving senior representatives dissatisfied, despite leading the Shamrocks to the Round of 16 of the Europa League.“Panathinaikos FC announces the completion of its collaboration with coach Rafa Benitez,” the Greek club announced in a statement.“We thank the Spanish coach and his staff for the professionalism and ethos they brought to our club during their time with the team. We wish Rafa Benitez every success in the rest of his professional career.”Giannis Alafouzos, owner of the Athens-based outfit, is thought to have made the decision after Panathinaikos lost 2-0 to arch-rivals Olympiakos in their final-ever derby at their home ground in April.The match is known as the ‘Derby of the Eternal Enemies’ and defeat effectively spelled the end for Benitez.After a poor end to the season, Panathinaikos finished fourth, meaning they will be forced into Conference League qualifiers next season rather than the Europa League play-offs.When he first took the role in October, Benitez said: “My idea is to be competitive in every match, but take it game by game.“The goal is there, but we will go step by step. The essential thing is to have the right mentality.“Our job is to lift every player and to build a connection with the fans.”Search for a successorGreek businessman Alafouzos’ chief advisor, Franco Baldini, is currently looking for the former Chelsea boss’ successor.The last time Benitez won in England was the Championship with Newcastle nine years agoBaldini, an Italian official who previously worked as an assistant manager for England, reportedly regretted his role in suggesting the former Everton coach for the position.Panathinaikos has a history of high managerial turnover, having previously sacked notable head coaches such as Fatih Terim and Rui Vitória.This will mark the club’s search for its sixth manager in five years.For Benítez, the departure highlights a difficult period in his career.The last time the Spaniard won a professional trophy was the 2014 Coppa Italia with Napoli.He has left four clubs in five years following spells at Dalian Pro in China, Celta Vigo in Spain, and Everton.