Daily Times

MADRID: A new round of leaked audio recordings published by Spanish media on Wednesday revealed Real Madrid’s president privately criticizing Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho. The newspaper El Confidencial released audio recordings in which Florentino Perez 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.” Perez 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 Perez criticizing former Madrid stars Iker Casillas and Raul Gonzalez. He reportedly said Casillas wasn’t good enough for Madrid and Gonzalez thought he owned the club. Perez reportedly called them the two “great frauds” of Madrid. El Confidencial said the comments about Ronaldo and Mourinho were made in 2012, during Perez’s second stint in charge of the club. The comments on Casillas and Gonzalez were reportedly made in 2006. Perez 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.