Real Madrid News
Barcelona president hits back at Real Madrid over complaint to UEFA: ‘Diverting attention from other issues’
Barcelona president Joan Laporta dismissed Real Madrid’s complaint to UEFA over the Negreira case, insisting he is confident the club have nothing to fear.
After delivering his inauguration speech to mark the start of his new presidential term, Laporta addressed reporters, where he was asked about Real Madrid’s recent complaint to UEFA requesting disciplinary action against Barcelona.
The Merengues sent a detailed dossier of refereeing decisions that they believed had favoured the Catalans, linking it to the Negreira case.
Laporta not bothered
Laporta, who had earlier aimed a dig at Florentino Perez, described Real Madrid’s actions as little more than a tantrum and repeated his confidence that the complaint would not produce the outcome the club hopes for.
“They won’t get their way,” he maintained.
He repeated the phrase several times during his response, stressing that Barcelona knows UEFA’s position on the matter.
According to Laporta, the complaint is an attempt to prolong an issue that has already been extensively examined.
“We know what UEFA thinks about this matter, and they won’t get their way. It’s just another tantrum on their part; they’re trying to drag this out to justify actions that make no sense and won’t succeed,” he said.
“The case is before the ordinary courts and we’ve been dealing with this for a long time. We have submitted the evidence in the proceedings. The opposing parties have not provided [anything].”
Accusing Real Madrid of creating a distraction
Laporta argued that Real Madrid’s complaint is designed to divert attention away from issues affecting the club itself.
He suggested the move has helped generate media attention while shifting the focus away from more uncomfortable topics, such as ongoing discussions about Real Madrid’s ownership model, as well as the issues with the Santiago Bernabeu.
“This has served them well in stirring up a fuss and diverting attention from other issues.
“Their efforts to become a public limited company, and other matters that aren’t going quite to plan, such as the fact that there won’t be any music and they don’t know where they’ll have to park,” he quipped.
Background to the dispute
Laporta’s comments come after Real Madrid president Perez described the Negreira case as “the biggest scandal in the history of world football” and stated that UEFA could not allow football to remain under suspicion of corruption.
Barcelona previously warned, while Rafael Yuste was serving as acting president, that the club would pursue criminal defamation proceedings if Perez did not retract those statements.
Despite the latest escalation between Spain’s two biggest clubs, Laporta made it clear that he remains convinced Barcelona’s position is secure and that Real Madrid’s latest complaint will not change the outcome.
Real Madrid News
Inter Milan boss Chivu praises Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid showdown: ‘A special person’
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has described Jose Mourinho as “a special person” ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Romanian spent two seasons playing under Mourinho at Inter between 2008 and 2010, a period that culminated in the club winning the Champions League at the very same stadium in 2010.
A serial winner
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chivu reflected warmly on his former manager.
“He’s a special person who I was lucky enough to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult period of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Chivu said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Chivu also praised Mourinho’s ability to influence the teams he manages and instil his mentality in his players.
“He’s very good at immersing himself in the reality of the team he represents and transmitting his mentality. He’s a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right moment. Very few people know how to do that like he does,” he said.
“He has won everywhere he has been, and I’m sure Real Madrid will have a great season.”
Despite his admiration for Mourinho, Chivu insisted that the Portuguese has not served as a template for his own coaching career.
Asked whether he takes inspiration from his former manager, the Inter boss replied: “I’ve never copied anyone. I have my own idea of football, which has been built through my years as a player and as a coach.”
Chivu assesses Mourinho’s Real Madrid
Chivu believes it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid.
“It’s still very early. It has been a fairly balanced start, although they lost their last match undeservedly because they played very well,” he said.
“They’re a team with a great history and a coach who knows how to do things.”
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone”
With Mourinho in the dugout and Chivu in defence, Inter defeated Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The now-Inter manager believes returning to the stadium where they lifted the trophy 16 years ago will provide a special occasion, although he knows the challenge facing his team.
“The stadium has been renovated and it’s even more beautiful. It has a great tradition and today it’s more beautiful and more modern. We like playing a Champions League match in this stadium,” he said.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone. Inter haven’t won here for 60 years. We’ll do everything possible and we want to show that we’re competitive and that we have the desire to dominate.
“There’s no perfect way to play against Real Madrid because they have players who can make the difference regardless of the plan you have.”
Inter arrive in Madrid after recovering from a difficult game against Napoli, while Chivu prepares to face the coach who played such an important role in his career.
