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New account: Pérez and Mourinho erupt in anger after Rodri loss

Rodri snubbed Manchester City's push to take him to Real Madrid, then struck a deal with Barcelona instead. The move went down badly in the Bernabeu boardroom.

A fresh account has now emerged of how Real reacted, contradicting reports that the Merengues took Rodri's rejection calmly and shrugged off the player's decision.

Citing AS, the website Foot Mercato had confirmed that Real Madrid understands and respects Rodri's decision, and wishes the Spanish star well on the path he has chosen.

"Sport newspaper" tells a very different story. President Florentino Perez and coach Jose Mourinho are both said to be seething.

Perez's fury stems from the collapse of a deal he thought was done. His two trusted lieutenants, Jose Angel Sanchez and Juni Calafat, had convinced him it was in the bag. Mourinho was every bit as livid when he learned Los Blancos had lost out on Rodri.

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Pérez changes his stance on Rodri
Pérez was furious over losing Rodri. He hadn't planned to sign the midfielder at first, but eventually came round to the idea, only to watch him edge closer to Barcelona.
Rodri's name surfacing on Enrique Riquelme's list of candidates during the Real elections did not please Pérez one bit, and he promptly ruled the player out as an option to strengthen Los Blancos.
José Ángel Sánchez and Calafat both insisted an agreement was in place with the player, who had become available to the club several months earlier. His outstanding form at the World Cup finally convinced Pérez.
Only one man kept telling Pérez that Rodri wasn't right for Real Madrid: the Moroccan banker Anas Laghrari, his right-hand man on financial affairs.
The player's age, 30, and his knee injury formed the crux of the Moroccan official's argument.
Pérez eventually agreed to push the deal through. Now Rodri's last-minute switch to Barcelona has overshadowed the signing of Yan Diomandé and Vinícius's contract renewal.
What should have been an important day on the club's agenda turned into a torrid spell for Real Madrid's officials. They watched thousands of Madridistas turn on the club for letting the World Cup Ballon d'Or winner walk away.

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Mourinho's displeasure is greater than Pérez's
Perez's anger was significant. Mourinho's displeasure ran deeper still, the Portuguese coach refusing to believe the news when told that Rodri had rejected the offer and moved to Barcelona.
That immense anger surfaced in more than one conversation with Real Madrid officials. They assured him there was no intention of making new signings in midfield, because the market did not include players at suitable prices to fill the position.
Mourinho will therefore be forced to rely on the defensive qualities of Tchouameni, Camavinga and Valverde, and to redeploy Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva in a double-pivot role.
It is a scenario repeating itself for the third season in a row, after the previous two produced unfortunate results. Real Madrid came away empty-handed in both, undone by the failure to strengthen the midfield, a priority that Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso had both warned about.
The displeasure cut so deep because Mourinho considered Rodri the final touch to the list of deals the club concluded this summer.
Even now, the Portuguese coach insists on the need to sign a defensive midfielder and an additional centre-back.
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Mourinho without midfield signings
Mourinho himself had warned Camavinga, Asensio and Mastantuono that minutes would be hard to come by. The first two ignored him and stayed put. The Argentine, meanwhile, left on loan for Fiorentina.
Camavinga knows Real Madrid inside out. He had seen this coming for a third season running, which is exactly why a fresh opportunity now sits in front of him.
Inside the dressing room, the anger of Pérez and Mourinho gave way to astonishment. The players had been expecting Rodri to arrive.
Worse still, they would not get him at all. They would instead watch him pull on the Barcelona shirt in a major deal to bolster Hansi Flick's side.