Florentino Perez talks Mbappé, Haaland, the Super League, and more
Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, went on Spanish TV show El Chiringuito on Wednesday to discuss what happened with Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, the Super League, and much more. This is what he had to say:
On Kylian Mbappe’s decision
“He changed his mind, they offer him other things, they put pressure on him… There is no one at Real Madrid above the club. He is a great footballer, he can win more than others but it is a collective sport and we have values and principles that we cannot change. I love him, he made an effort and the pressure made him change his circumstances and it’s not easy. I think his mother wanted him to come to Real Madrid because it was his dream as a little boy. Mothers want what’s best for their children.”
“It cannot be done — the pre-contract cannot be signed. You have to go to the club that you enter into negotiations with a player and that would cause him a great disturbance and the most sensible thing was to end it. PSG would make it public and it would be a very difficult added pressure to bear. The Mbappé who was going to come here is not this one. If so, I prefer him to stay at PSG. I want the one from the dream. Impossible in three years? In three years a lot can change… This Mbappé is not my Mbappé, who refuses to do a publicity act with his national team… I don’t want that. It could have been a mistake but I think they have confused him.”
“He sent me a message with his decision and I answered him. I could already see that he was not the Mbappé that I wanted. No player in the history of Real Madrid has been above the others and this is a collective game. We are not going to make any signing that puts the group at risk.”
“He extended and for whatever reason he changed his mind. It is not easy for the President of the Republic, the mayor of Paris, to call you and for you to leave. And then in Qatar they offer you some things that drive you a little crazy, they offer you a disproportionate influence on the sporting aspect for a player…”
On not signing Erling Haaland
“We have the best number 9 in the world and we weren’t going to bring Haaland to have him on the bench, right? Clause in two years? I don’t know. Now we have no more interest than forming the new team with the youngsters we have and some reinforcements.”
On the rest of the transfer window
“There will be no more signings for now because we don’t have any more space right now, It will depend on the departures. The summer is long and anything can happen… Asensio? The sporting director is José Ángel Sánchez, he will decide.”
Bale’s departure
“He has been one of the greatest players Madrid has ever had. Remember Kiev, Valencia, Lisbon… He is a spectacular player. I’ve loved him a lot and the other day on the football pitch everyone applauded him.”
On Sergio Ramos’ departure to PSG
“I did what I think I had to do. Now he has chosen PSG but I consider him one of the greatest players that Real Madrid have ever had. For me, he is the best defender in the history of the club.”
On Zidane
“Zidane at Paris Saint-Germain? I don’t know, but he’s always been a man for Real Madrid and the French national team. That’s what I know about him. But maybe he’s now in a different situation.”
On Carlo Ancelotti’s work
“I told him thank you for coming. The atmosphere this year is very good, a great atmosphere, a man who treats all the players very well.. There is a great physical preparation too.”
“There is an example in the game against Manchester City and the veterans are off the field and the kids are playing and they are encouraging them, so that they score the second and that communion between the youngsters, veterans and the public is something magical.”
On the new Bernabéu
“It will be ready in a year, at the end of next season. The war has raised prices and made materials a lot harder to come by. The stadium is in the best place in Madrid thanks to Santiago Bernabéu. We play 26 or 27 games a year and it occurred to us that we are going to open that central place and make it the largest entertainment centre in Europe. It will be a an important source of income for us. If it had been on the outskirts, it wouldn’t have been possible. We’ve taken advantage of the location. We’ve made an agreement with the stadium operation company (Legends) because they know how to do it, which is very good.”
On Aurélien Tchouaméni
“Tchouaméni said that Mbappé asked him if he wanted to go to PSG and he said no. That happens many times, when there are contracts. It’s easy, they talk, there are several clubs, PSG, Liverpool and Madrid have wanted him as far as I know.”
On the European Super League
“Of course it is still alive, right now there is a question in the Luxembourg Court, there will be a hearing shortly and it will rule on the issues that we have raised. We believe that we have the right, within the European Community, to organise competitions between us, with UEFA. We understand that UEFA is a monopoly and in this Europe of 27, one pillar is that of competition.”
The Champions League title and the violence in Paris
“That spectacle can never happen, we ask UEFA what criteria is taken into account for the change of venue and the French government why they haven’t protected us all. The fans suffered robberies and violence. Why was this site chosen if everybody knew that either you have big measures or there are problems? Some people had to spend the night in hospital. Let them tell us why they chose Paris. They say that since we played a game against PSG and lost 1-0 and between that game and the return leg is when the change of venue happens, there are people who think that those who win there said they were going to win at the Bernabéu and see if they made it to the final.”
The crisis at FC Barcelona
“FC Barcelona will come back to the fore, that’s for sure. We all want it for the good of football. It’s a big club, it’s serious. Lewandowski? He is a player who is not free but I think he is very good. Messi’s departure? Marcelo also left Real Madrid in tears, football is like that. But I never enjoy seeing great players leave. Messi is one of them, but maybe Lewandowski can come, it would make LaLiga better.”
