Earthquake in Madrid, lackluster performance of La Roja: the front pages of the Friday press
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
The political and transfer window battle at Real Madrid occupies the front pages in Madrid, between revelations from Enrique Riquelme on Haaland and the counterattack from Florentino Pérez promising a colossal offer. Meanwhile, the Spanish selection conceded a 1-1 draw against Iraq, fueling doubts before the next World Cup.
The Spanish sports press devotes its Friday front pages to two major subjects. On the one hand, the institutional earthquake and the turmoil around the transfer window at Real Madrid triggered by the exchange of declarations between President Florentino Pérez and presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme. On the other, the mixed entry of the Spanish selection, held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq during a preparation match.
In Madrid, MARCA and AS are bringing the merengue turmoil into full light. AS makes its headlines with the words of Enrique Riquelme, who affirms that “Haaland does have a release clause”. The presidential candidate was not content with the sporting issue: he also attacked the governance model, estimating that “if we change the statutes, the small democracy that remains at Real will disappear”.
The response did not take long. MARCA headlines in mega format on Florentino Pérez's counterattack: “Florentino announces Dumfries and will make an offer of 150 million for a star”. The daily reports that the president's reaction came on the Horizonte show, where he assured "we will make the biggest offer that Madrid has ever made for a player", a formula intended to redress the hand in an already electric market.
On the international level, La Roja has not reassured. During the friendly against Iraq, Luis de la Fuente saw his team settle for a 1-1 draw, a result which raises questions a few weeks before the world meeting. SPORT devotes its front page to Ferran Torres under the title “Ferran and little else”, highlighting that the Valencia striker scored the only Spanish goal and that a youngster, Marc Bernal, made his debut.
The Catalan daily, however, criticizes the management of the second half: a farandole of changes which, according to SPORT, "extinguished" a team that was recognizable but sluggish offensively, lacking match rhythm.
Finally, the Catalan press anticipates an incandescent summer transfer window between FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. Mundo Deportivo talks about a “SUPERDUEL” between Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), and evokes an office war between the two clubs, escalated a notch after the affair linked to Julián Álvarez. The two institutions now seem to be competing for the same targets, fueling a transfer period predicted to be very hot.
Assessment: Madrid is experiencing internal tremors and transfer window rumors are occupying the headlines, while the Spanish national team still has to convince before leaving for its training camp in the United States, in Chattanooga (Tennessee).