Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has, on Sunday, spoken out once more over the club’s ultimately fruitless pursuit of Kylian Mbappe.
It has of course proven a week of altogether mixed emotions at the Bernabeu.
All associated with the La Liga champions were first left crestfallen, upon confirmation arriving that the aforementioned Mbappe had opted to turn down his alleged ‘dream’ move to Spain’s capital city.
Instead, ahead of the imminent expiration of his contract in Paris, the 23-year-old put pen to paper on fresh terms, carrying him through the summer of 2026.
PARIS, FRANCE – FEBRUARY 15: Kylian Mbappe speaks with Karim Benzema during the UEFA Champions League Round Of Sixteen Leg One match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at Parc des Princes on February 15, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Such a call on the part of one of world football’s most explosive young talents, understandably, culminated in an air of despondency on the white half of Madrid, just days out from the club’s latest Champions League final outing.
Carlo Ancelotti’s troops of course made the trip to Paris on Saturday night, for a showdown with Jurgen Klopp’s cup treble-chasing Liverpool.
When all was said and done at the Stade de France, though, the Spanish champions managed to pick themselves up, to eventually emerge on the right side of a 1-0 scoreline.
A solitary goal on the part of Vinicius Jr. proved enough to put Liverpool to the sword, securing for Real a historic 14th Champions League crown.
REAL MADRID LEAD! ?
Vinícius Júnior steals in at the back post to tap home from close range ⚽️#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/owgAzrA75V
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 28, 2022
Speaking to the media on the back of the full-time whistle on Saturday night, though, the name of that man Mbappe was nevertheless put to the aforementioned Florentino Perez, with a particular emphasis on whether any lingering disappointment surrounding Los Blancos’ failed pursuit remains.
The Spanish patron, though, was quick to assure that the situation has already been ‘forgotten’, replaced by a ‘Real Madrid party’:
“Today there is no Mbappe, today there is a Real Madrid party,” Perez began.
“Madrid will always continue to work on having the best players. The Mbappe issue is forgotten, nothing has happened.
“Madrid has had a perfect season and it is a forgotten issue.”
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