When Sir Alex Ferguson described the former Madrid board as “that mob” and declared he wouldn’t do business with them many thought he was referring to the club as a whole. And it is understandable why.
They are the epitome of everything that is wrong with the modern game of football.
Diving, tapping up players, hefty debt and buying success are seen as the serious blights on the modern game and Real are guilty of all of these things.
Real followers will argue that Barca are the main culprits of diving and will point to incidents involving Busquets and Mascherano in particular to highlight this. But watch any Real game and you will see that they are at least as guilty if not worse. Ronaldo has not improved since his time at Man United, he stills rolls around in agony at the slightest touch and he is typical of the current Madrid side.
And when it comes to “buying success” no team has ever been as guilty a Real. When they built their Galacticos in the late 90’s and early 00’s they paid well above their capability to bring in the likes of Zidane, Beckham, Ronaldo and many more. They would make a big signing every season and the money would come from outside sources, including the Spanish government.
Nowadays it is very much the same story. The money for the Kaka and Ronaldo transfers was not earned by the club, it was brought in by outsiders and used as a tool in the presidential elections.
The financial truth at the Bernabeu is that Real are in serious levels of debt. Like the so called model club of Barcelona, Real are in serious financial trouble. If there was any club capable of challenging the Classico strangle hold on the Champions League places they would both be at a serious threat of liquidation.
As it happens these two clubs control the top two places and all of the financial power in Spanish football. With two of the greatest club sides to ever grace the game the current La Liga should be the greatest league on the planet, but because of the irresponsible finances and the monopoly of Barca and Real the league is uncompetitive and with the exception of the “El Classico” fixture incredibly dull and predictable.
