‘I must say that it’s surprising, shameful and very difficult to understand.’
Real Madrid have broken their silence on the controversial Champions League last-16 draw after it had to be redone following a ‘technical error’ in the early stages of the draw.
Los Blancos were originally paired with Benfica before things took an expected turn, with Manchester United being drawn against Villarreal (who they couldn’t face due as they were in the same group as them) before being omitted from the pot to face Atletico Madrid.
This error saw the Red Devils pitted against Paris Saint-Germain, until chaos quickly unfolded.
Following a number of complaints from affected teams, the original ties were declared null and void – forcing a complete redraw which saw Madrid drawn against PSG and United against Atletico Madrid in the first knockout round of the competition.
It was thought that Real Madrid might complain about the draw, however, director Emilio Butragueno spoke about the situation afterwards and his comments indicated they had accepted the outcome.
🗣"We want to say that what happened today is very surprising and very hard to understand."
Emilio Butragueno speaks of the incident that took place during the Champions League draw pic.twitter.com/V6lHm3Z3Mx
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 14, 2021
“Firstly, I must say that it’s surprising, shameful and very difficult to understand what’s gone on today [Monday], given that millions of fans and the world of sport were following the draw,” he said via RealMadrid.com.
“That said, we approach this tie with real excitement, whilst being aware of what this competition means to the club and our fans. We’re also aware of just what tough opponents we face and the quality of players they have, but we’re confident that the team will put in two great performances.
“I’m sure that the two games will be excellent spectacles for the game and fans and we hope to progress and take our place in the quarter-final draw”.
Madrid will face-off against the Parisians in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie on February 15 2022.
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