Madrid boss Florentino Pérez criticizes Ronaldo, Mourinho in leaked audios

Madrid, July 14 (AP): A new round of leaked audio recordings published by Spanish media on Wednesday revealed Real Madrid’s president privately criticizing Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho.

The newspaper El Confidencial released audios in which Florentino Pérez reportedly called former player Ronaldo an “imbecile” and “sick.” He reportedly said Ronaldo and former coach Mourinho “were not normal.” He also called Mourinho an “imbecile.”

Pérez also reportedly criticized former Madrid and Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, saying he was “not a coach” and “one of the greatest lies” he had seen in his life.

Audios released by the newspaper on Tuesday had exposed Pérez criticizing former Madrid stars Iker Casillas and Raúl González. He reportedly said Casillas wasn’t good enough for Madrid and González thought he owned the club. Pérez reportedly called them the two “great frauds” of Madrid.

El Confidencial said the comments about Ronaldo and Mourinho were made in 2012, during Pérez’s second stint in charge of the club. The comments on Casillas and González were reportedly made in 2006.

Pérez released a statement on Tuesday saying the comments were “isolated quotes that were part of conversations and have been taken out of the wider context in which they were made.”

He said they were likely being published now because of his “involvement as one of the driving forces behind the Super League,” which folded days after being launched following widespread criticism against the competition.