Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez ‘threatened to kick Sergio Ramos out’

Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez were reportedly involved in a heated bust-up after the club’s elimination from the Champions League on Tuesday night. 

Very few people expected holders Real to slump to a loss at home after managing to win the first leg of their last-16 clash against Ajax 2-1 at the Johan Cruyff Arena last month.

But they were overwhelmed at the Santiago Bernabeu and ended up losing the game 4-1, ending their recent stranglehold over Europe’s elite.

Perez insisted the club’s poor form so far this season was solely down to the playing staff

And, according to Marca, tempers spilled over between Ramos and Perez after the game with the club’s chief even threatening to kick his captain out of the club in front of backroom staff.

It is claimed Perez told the players that the blame for their poor form was down to them as they crashed out of a second competition within a week. They also lost in the Copa del Rey semi-finals to Barcelona and lost a La Liga clash against Lionel Messi and Co just days later.

Ramos, who was suspended for the second leg in Madrid, hit back against Perez though and claimed the players had ‘warned him during the summer of the need to sign a striker.’

Perez then threatened to let Ramos leave as their argument continued. Ramos is said to have responded to the threat by saying that ‘the rest of his contract would need to be paid and that he’d leave with his head held high’.

Perez is currently occupied at the moment with trying to appoint a new manager. Santiago Solari is widely expected to leave in the summer after an underwhelming run in the hot seat.

Ajax dumped the reigning champions out of the Champions League to reach the last eight

Reports on Thursday suggested Perez wants to bring Zinedine Zidane back as manager after one of the worst weeks in the club’s history. 

Zidane guided Real to three successive Champions League titles but resigned last summer amid disagreements over transfer policy.

However, according to Marca, Zidane has maintained a good relationship with Perez and the Madrid hierarchy – and continues to live in the city – leading them to believe he would be open to return in the summer.

Former Real president Ramon Calderon has even claimed Zidane has turned down the chance of an immediate return to the club, but that he could come back at the end of the current season.

Calderon said on Wednesday, the day after Real were beaten 4-1 at home by Ajax in the Champions League last-16 second leg: ‘I know that this morning the president called Zidane to ask him back, he said not now. He has left open the possibility of coming back in June.’