After Carlo Ancelotti claimed that Real Madrid would be not be gracing the new FIFA Club World Cup, in which the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly will be playing, the Spanish giants have now released an official statement addressing the matter.
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At the end of next season, the world's best clubs will convene in the United States of America to play in the new format of the Club World Cup.
The competition has been expanded to include 32 teams, and the aforementioned African sides have already booked their tickets to the tournament.
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Real Madrid are one of the first teams to successfully qualify for the tournament after they won the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League, but it was reported earlier on Monday that their manager Ancelotti had insisted that the club had no desire to play in the competition, primarily because of the monetary reward world football's governing body are offering.
"Real Madrid will not go to the FIFA World Club, we will reject the invitation like other clubs," the five-time Champions League-winning head coach was said to have told Il Giornale.
"Just one single Real Madrid match is worth €20 million (R403 million) and they want to give us that money for the whole competition… no way. Negative."
Now, however, the record European champions have released an official statement, setting the record straight after what the 65-year-old's comments.
"Real Madrid CF announces that at no time has its participation in the new Club World Cup to be organized 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," the statement reads.
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Ancelotti himself has also clarified his statements, saying, as per Fabrizio Romano: "In my interview with Il Giornale, my words about the FIFA Club World Cup have not been interpreted in the way I intended. Nothing could be further from my interest than rejecting the possibility of playing a tournament that I think can be a great opportunity to continue fighting for great titles with Real Madrid."
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