While Real Madrid basks in the glory of its resounding victory against Schalke 04 in the Champions League round of 16 first leg, a Spanish newspaper closely associated with Barcelona has thrown a wrench into the celebrations of the Merengues.
Mundo Deportivo, in its Thursday morning edition, featured a cover story questioning the transfers of Real Madrid in response to the ongoing scrutiny over Neymar’s transfer, which has been making headlines for several days.
The headline on the front page of the Catalan newspaper reads “Where we don’t investigate,” accompanied by photos of Pepe, Gareth Bale, and Kaka, seemingly implying irregularities in their transfers. Mundo Deportivo alleges that Kaka’s transfer may have involved irregularities, suggesting that the player’s father received commissions. Similarly, Pepe’s transfer is said to be under investigation by the Portuguese police.
In Madrid, this front-page story is viewed as an insult, especially since no concrete evidence is provided by the newspaper. Kiko Matamoros, a regular columnist for the Tiki Taka show, reacted vehemently, calling the front page “the biggest scam in history” and accusing Mundo Deportivo of baseless accusations against Florentino Pérez without any evidence.
Clearly, the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona continues to simmer, with both sides trading blows in the media.