Ahead of tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated Champions League quarter-final first leg between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, German football figures have launched a fierce and unprecedented attack on ‘Los Blancos’, describing the Spanish club’s behaviour in recent years as ‘unsportsmanlike’ and lacking respect for their opponents.
Putting itself above everyone else
In controversial comments made during the “Sky90” programme, former Bayern Munich star Markus Babbel expressed his deep dissatisfaction with the image Real Madrid has come to project to the world.
Pabel said in a sharp tone: “The way Real Madrid have behaved in recent years completely lacks sportsmanship. I constantly get the feeling that they see themselves as above everyone else and better than others. This arrogance irritates me greatly and has caused the club to lose its appeal and standing in my eyes.”
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Pabel believes that the club’s president, Florentino Pérez, plays a central role in this approach, pointing to the boycott of the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony after Vinícius Júnior lost the award to the Spaniard Rodri.
Pabel described this behaviour as a “lack of respect” towards the winner and the football community, emphasising that the club has lost much of its prestige due to such stances.
Real Madrid tarnishes its history
For his part, legend Lothar Matthäus did not hesitate to back these criticisms, directing his criticism at Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior.
Although he acknowledged the player’s exceptional talent, he criticised his behaviour on the pitch, saying: “Vinícius is a brilliant player, but he goes too far in provoking opponents,” said Matthäus, criticising the player’s frequent complaints and his tendency to go down at the slightest contact, describing it as constant “whining” unworthy of his talent.
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Regarding the ‘Ballon d’Or’ controversy, Matthäus insisted that Real Madrid had done itself a disservice before anyone else: ‘When a player like Rodri wins, you must show respect for your rival. Boycotting the ceremony simply because you didn’t like the result is behaviour unworthy of a club with such a great history. With this conduct, Real Madrid is losing part of its global reputation’.
These comments add fuel to the fire ahead of the Clásico between Europe’s giants, which is viewed in Madrid as a ‘psychological war’ aimed at undermining the ‘Merengues’’ stability ahead of the continental showdown.