Rafael Benitez defends his Chelsea record

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has said that his spell at the club should be considered a success.

Despite being regularly targeted for boos from Chelsea fans since arriving at the club in November, the Spaniard thinks that in the circumstances, his stint at Stamford Bridge should be deemed a prosperous one.

The Blues are currently third in the Premier League and will contest the Europa League final against Benfica later this month.

"With all the circumstances around (the derision from fans), all the games, that the squad is not too big, having had the Africa Cup of Nations and going to Japan [for the World Club Cup in December]," The Mirror quotes Benitez as saying.

"If you put everything together, if you add it all up, doing well, with a lot of semi-finals, finals, we're still there. It was what we had to do and we've done it."

Benitez looks likely to leave the club at the end of the campaign, with Jose Mourinho the favourite to be installed as his successor.