THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID, Spain — Robinho repeated his desire to leave Real Madrid for Chelsea on Sunday, questioning the Spanish club’s motives for retaining him and criticizing Madrid coach Bernd Schuster.
Speaking at a brief news conference he had called the previous day, Robinho said he had informed Madrid president Ramon Calderon, sports director Predrag Mijatovic and Schuster of his desire to move to Stamford Bridge.
“The situation has not changed at all. The negotiations are continuing and I still wish to leave Madrid. I want to play for Chelsea,” said Robinho, who has two years of his contract remaining.
Chelsea has reportedly offered Robinho a large increase on his current annual salary, believed to be 2.1 million euros (C$3.3 million). The London club is also managed by his compatriot Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Robinho suggested that Schuster was the biggest obstacle to his desired transfer.
Schuster left the 24-year-old forward out of Madrid’s squad for its opening Spanish league game of the season at Deportivo La Coruna later Sunday.
The coach said that once the transfer window closes on Monday, he would be able to make Robinho feel at home again at Madrid.
“The president and Pedja (Mijatovic) said they will let me leave, but Schuster doesn’t because he has promised to make me feel comfortable again. If he thinks that, it’s his problem. I don’t want to stay at Real Madrid,” Robinho said.
Responding in a statement on its website, Madrid began by criticizing Robinho for deflecting attention from the Deportivo game.
The Spanish club said it would accept a decision by the forward to unilaterally rescind his contract, implying that Robinho would be free to leave by paying the astronomical 150 million euro (C$234 million) buyout clause of his contract.
Madrid added it regretted “the behaviour of Chelsea officials who, despite knowing perfectly well the decision not to sell the player, have continued to make gestures and statements and have even sold the player’s shirt on its official website. … All this has done nothing but aggravate the situation and confuse public opinion.”
Chelsea later defended its conduct in a statement.
“There is nothing wrong with publicly confirming our interest in a player when the club involved is well aware of it, has been in receipt of two bids and is negotiating to sell the player. So we completely refute any criticism from Real Madrid,” the Premier League club said. “As for the issue regarding the website, Real are well aware this was a regrettable accident by an external supplier which was rectified as soon as it was brought to our attention and not a single shirt was sold.”
Madrid rejected Chelsea’s initial 32 million euro (C$49.9 million) bid and is believed to be holding out for 40 million euros(C$62.4 million).
“Calderon said that if a good offer came in they would let me go. Chelsea have made a great effort to sign me,” he said.
Robinho said he had been trying to renew his contract since May but Madrid was more interested in its bid to sign Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Madrid, which this week also failed in its attempts to sign Valencia striker David Villa and Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla, has said Robinho will not be sold.
“My agent has gone a thousand times to talk to the club and the club has shown no interest in me staying. Now as the club hasn’t signed anyone, it’s in their interest for me to stay,” Robinho said.
Robinho, who leaves on Monday for World Cup qualifiers with Brazil against Chile and Bolivia, said he was prepared to sit out the season in the stands.
“I’ll recover because I’m young. I’m not refusing to play, I have a contract. If they make me play I will, although I won’t be happy,” he said.