Florentino Perez believes sometimes Ike Casillas
doesn’t help after directing a veiled comment towards Iker his club captain
partner for comments made last season during Jose Mourinho’s reign. On
from reports during a difficult final season with the Portuguese, which suggested that Casillas and Sergio Ramos had demanded Mourinho
leave in the summer, the
goalkeeper’s girlfriend, a television presenter, fuelled rumours of discontent.
Featuring
on Mexican television soon after, Sara Carbonero spoke of ‘divide’ in the
dressing room at the Santiago Bernabeu and how it was ‘an open secret’ that the
players did not get along with Mourinho.
Speaking
to club partners this week in the build-up to Sunday’s members’ assembly, Perez
reflected on the issue, as Casillas continues to remain on the sidelines in the
League.
“Iker
is the captain and sometimes he does not help us, because sometimes those close
to us make mistakes,” Perez is quoted by AS as saying.
“There
were the four of us having lunch [Perez, Jose Angel Sanchez, Casillas and
Ramos] and we agreed on the bonus structure and a newspaper came out with this
story that was untrue.
“The
ultimatum from the captains about Mourinho was not said, I do not know if they
thought that, but they know that there are red lines that cannot be crossed.” Perez
also commented on Mesut Ozil’s exit from the club again and continued along the
same lines as earlier words this week.
“At
Madrid a player under contract only leaves if he wants to go. With Ozil it came
more from his inner circle.
“We
asked the coaching team and they said he could leave. It’s fundamental to cope
with the pressure here.
“I
could give you a long list of players who have left because they can’t cope
with the pressure.” Ricky
Kaka also left, returning to Milan on a free after four indifferent seasons in
the Spanish capital.
“He
has helped us a lot with Adidas.” Perez
also commented on his management of the club and continued signing of high
profile players at great cost.
“We
are like Ferrari, who sign the best drivers but don’t always win. Our structure
is not a book, it is unique and allows us to sign the best players.”
Madrid
and Barcelona are reportedly under investigation from the European Union for
alleged tax advantages.
“The
only tax advantage we have is that we pay 25 per cent corporation tax instead
of 30. For other clubs, they are lucky that we are not a corporation [with SAD
status] as we would have more money and there would be a greater disparity.
“In
America this summer, we had an offer for 20 per cent and if we had done it then
we would have a budget of €740m. If in the end we are forced to become a
corporation, for nothing, each partner would have stock.”
