At a glance
- Real Madrid are out of the Champions League after losing a quarterfinal tie to Bayern Munich 6-4 on aggregate.
- This means that, with FC Barcelona closing in on La Liga, Los Blancos are looking at a second trophyless season.
- For demanding President Florentino Perez, this is unacceptable, as he reportedly let the players know at the Allianz Arena.
Real Madrid President Florentino Perez let his players know that a second trophyless season is unacceptable according to SPORT.
Madrid are on their way to ending 2025/2026 without major silverware thanks to the events of the past week or so.
A loss to Mallorca and draw with Girona mean that FC Barcelona have opened up a nine-point gap at the La Liga summit.
Then on Wednesday, Los Blancos put up a brave fight against Real Madrid but ultimately lost a Champions League quarterfinal tie to Bayern Munich 6-4 on aggregate.
Following the 4-3 win on the night to the Bavarians, Perez reportedly headed to his team’s locker room in the Allianz Arena.
Perez let Real Madrid’s players have it
There before the squad, Perez reportedly said that while he appreciated the effort in the defeat, this season “has been a real disappointment for everyone.”
“You know how demanding it is to be Real Madrid players. A season without titles is a failure because we are Real Madrid. But two seasons without winning titles is intolerable,” Perez added, in a serious tone.
Perez also told them that representing Los Blancos is “a privilege for a footballer” while “everyone wants to wear the shirt of our club”.
“As well as being a privilege, it is also a responsibility to wear this shirt and many of you have not fulfilled that responsibility. We have not lived up to the club’s demands,” he further claimed.
Perez also has to shoulder the blame for Real Madrid’s misgivings
While the players aren’t delivering on the pitch, Perez is also responsible for squad planning. It’s he who has the last word on transfers and contracts, while also deciding who stays or goes.
Big name players need to work harder. But Perez fired a manager in Xabi Alonso that demanded more from them amid reports the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham didn’t appreciate his methods.
Real Madrid need a cultural change. Simply hiring and firing – or getting the chequebook out – while hoping for the best won’t deliver success in the modern game.
