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The Real Madrid Galacticos would perhaps have won more trophies if they had kept Claude Makélélé… Winner of the Champions League in 2002 thanks to Zinédine Zidane’s volley against Leverkusen, Casa Blanca was then a constellation of stars with the arrivals by Ronaldo and David Beckham to accompany “Zizou”, Luis Figo or Roberto Carlos. But the arrival of “Becks” in the summer of 200.3 from Manchester United coincided with the surprise transfer of “Maké” to Chelsea, while the French international was then the invaluable recovery midfielder for the Merengues. And for good reason.
Makélélé warmly greeted Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni during the final of the Intercontinental Cup won by Real in Qatar, last Wednesday against Pachuca. He also posed with President Florentino Pérez. However, it was obviously the big boss of Real, already in charge in the 2000s, who caused the departure of the native of Kinshasa. Recruited in 2000 from Celta, at the request of Vicente del Bosque – but against the advice of Pérez -, Makelele was essential to the team defensively during the Spanish championship titles in 2001 and 2003 and during the C1 coronation in 2002.
Makélélé victim of Florentino Pérez
During the 2002-2003 season, the player revealed at FC Nantes then demanded a new contract with a well-deserved salary increase. What Florentino Pérez promised him! But after the expensive signing of David Beckham, the Madrid leaders then rejected the French international… “When I reminded them of their first offer, I was told that I should be happy to play for Real”Makélélé once told Four Four Two. So the player, with a strong character, does not give in: he clashes with his leaders, skipping training to trigger his departure. The Galactics project is faltering from within, the controversy is total.
Claude Makélélé’s entourage then approached the big European clubs and it was ultimately Chelsea, just bought by Roman Abramovich, who offered 20 million euros to Real. It is accepted for this 30-year-old player and Florentino Pérez then has a distressing reaction: “We will not miss Makélélé. His technique was average, he lacked speed and talent to clear opponents and 90% of his passes were directed towards the back or the sides.. Result of the races: Real won nothing with its Galacticos in 2004, 2005 and 2006. President Pérez was forced to leave in February 2006…
Written by:
Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
 As an author for the website, Manu's expertise includes not only in-depth analysis of Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches but also insightful profiles of up-and-coming talents, detailed transfer news, and engaging coverage of the French national team. His captivating writing style and undeniable passion for the game have earned him a loyal following among our readers.
 
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