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Florentino Perez has delivered a scathing assessment of Real Madrid's current predicament, visiting the dressing room in Munich to label the club's trophy drought as an "intolerable failure."
The club president made his feelings known directly to the players and coaching staff following their Champions League elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Perez delivers a harsh reality check
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat in Munich, where Real Madrid lost 4-3 in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg, exiting the competition with a 6-4 aggregate score.
Perez descended to the dressing room to address the squad directly, according to Diario Sport.
While he initially acknowledged the effort put in on the night, his tone quickly shifted to one of severe disappointment.
"I appreciate your effort today, but the season has been a true disappointment for everyone," Perez is said to have told the gathered players and staff, maintaining a very serious expression throughout the short meeting.
"You know the demands that come with being Real Madrid players. A season without titles is a failure because we are Real Madrid, but two seasons without winning titles is intolerable."
New signings fail to make an impact
The report adds that a significant point of contention for the hierarchy has been the lack of contribution from high-priced summer arrivals.
Real Madrid invested nearly €180 million in four key reinforcements – Trent Alexander-Arnold, Franco Mastantuono, Alvaro Carreras, and Dean Huijsen.
Only English full-back Alexander-Arnold started the crucial clash in Munich.
Mastantuono was limited to a stoppage-time cameo, while Carreras and Huijsen remained unused substitutes, raising concerns over the recruitment strategy.
Further compounding the frustration is the situation surrounding Brazilian starlet Endrick. After the club spent €60 million to secure his services, the striker was sent on loan to Olympique Lyon in January following a decision by former coach Xabi Alonso.
Arbeloa's uncertain future in the dugout
While Alvaro Arbeloa remains in charge for now, his long-term future at the helm appears non-existent.
Perez intends to keep the former defender in the dugout until the end of the current campaign, but this is widely seen as a move to buy time while the club searches for a permanent successor.
The current season has been split between Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa, but neither has been able to put Madrid back on course for silverware.
Perez touched upon the lack of identity currently felt at the club, particularly after Madrid fielded a starting XI in the Champions League without a single Spanish player for the first time in club history.
A demand for dignity in the final stretch
Before leaving the dressing room, Perez issued a final ultimatum to his players regarding the remaining six matches of the La Liga season. He demanded that they "finish at least with dignity this season," with a high-profile Clasico against Barcelona at the Camp Nou looming on May 10.
The president's words served as a reminder that even if trophies are out of reach, the professional standards of the club must be upheld until the final whistle on May 24.
"You know that being a Real Madrid player is a privilege for a footballer and everyone wants to wear our club's shirt. Besides being a privilege, it also carries a responsibility to wear this shirt and many of you have not fulfilled that responsibility. You have not lived up to the club's demands," Perez stated during his address.
Real are currently nine points behind leaders Barca, with a home game against Alaves up next.
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