da casino: Real Madrid have clarified their position on the new 32-team Club World Cup after comments from Carlo Ancelotti shed doubt over their participation.
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Real Madrid issue official statementAncelotti shares clarificationParticipation in competition confirmedWHAT HAPPENED?
Madrid were forced to make a public announcement insisting that "at no time" have they ever considered not competing as reigning European champions at the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. Carlo Ancelotti also backtracked after he was quoted by an Italian newspaper suggesting Madrid wouldn't be involved.
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Ancelotti's interview with included the following published remarked: "FIFA can forget it. The club and the footballers won't participate in that tournament. One Real Madrid game is worth €20 million (£17m/$22m), and FIFA wants to give us that sum for the entire tournament. No way. Like us, other clubs will refuse the invitation."
WHAT REAL MADRID SAID
Both Ancelotti and Madrid were quick to respond to the outcry. An official statement from the club read: "Real Madrid CF announces that at no time has its participation in the new Club World Cup to be organised by FIFA in the upcoming 2024/2025 season been questioned. Therefore, our club will compete, as planned, in this official competition that we face with pride and with the utmost enthusiasm to make our millions of fans around the world dream again with a new title."
WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID
On X, Ancelotti posted: "In my interview with , my words about the FIFA Club World Cup were not interpreted in the way I intended. Nothing could be further from my interest than to reject the possibility of playing in a tournament that I consider could be a great opportunity to continue fighting for big titles with Real Madrid."