Real Madrid have released an official statement denying claims made by Mauricio Pochettino that Tottenham were turned down the chance to stay at the La Liga giants’ training complex in preparation for the Champions League final.
The thing is: Pochettino was joking. Real Madrid have made themselves look a bit silly by taking the Spurs manager’s words at face value.
Speaking to El Partidazo de Cope, Pochettino revealed Tottenham’s plans for where they will stay in Madrid before the final. The Argentinian then joked that he had asked Real Madrid president Florentino Perez if Spurs can stay at the Valdebebas (Real’s training complex) after training there.
Pochettino suggested Perez had told him he can stay there once he becomes manager of Madrid – a pretty obvious joke from our point of view.
“Ahead of the final, we will train at Valdebebas [Real’s training complex] and sleep in a nearby hotel,” Pochettino said.
“I asked Florentino [Perez, Real’s president] to let us sleep in the sports centre, but he told me that I can only sleep there when I become the coach of Real Madrid.”
But Real clearly didn’t see the funny side, releasing an official statement on Friday to deny Pochettino’s claims.
“Real Madrid wants to make it clear that it is outright false that this request was produced,” the statement read (as translated by BBC Sport).
“At no time has our club been requested that these teams could be accommodated in the facilities of Ciudad Real Madrid.”
It seems Madrid could do with someone who possesses a little more common sense in their PR department.
