Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has rebuffed calls from angry fans for him to step down and backed coach Rafa Benitez after Saturday’s humiliating 4-0 defeat at home to Barcelona in the La Liga ‘Clasico’.

Real’s drubbing by their arch rivals, which left them trailing Barca by six points, prompted supporters at the Bernabeu to chant for Perez to go and the construction magnate said on Monday he understood and respected their frustration.

However, he said there had been no discussion about holding new elections at a board meeting yesterday, at which it was decided that Benitez, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the end of last term, retained the club’s “full support and confidence”.

A clearly irritated Perez attacked the Spanish media for what he said were attempts to destabilise Real and added that an extremist fans’ group known as the “Ultras Sur” had been behind the chants for him to resign and were trying to “intimidate” him.

“I can’t tell you what will happen in the future but what I can tell you is that we did not discuss the possibility of holding new elections for even one minute,” Perez told a news conference at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid.

“Rafa Benitez was chosen for his professionalism, for his achievements and for his experience and he has the proven ability to get the best out of this squad which has been in gradual decline since January,” he added.

“We understand the anger of our fans after Saturday’s result but we feel it is the moment to continue working with rigour, with calm and maximum intensity.

“Rafa Benitez has just started his work. Let us allow him to continue and the triumphs will surely come.”