Real Madrid

Once the 25 May Board meeting concluded, Real Madrid President Florentino Perez addressed the media in the Press Room of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium to announce the departure of Jorge Valdano.

"As you are all aware, we started last season with a new and exciting sports project that looks to the future, is based on having very young people, and has Jose Mourinho at its helm with all our confidence.

The experience we had during the campaign that has just ended has proved the need for a new organisational structure within the club, by which our coach will be able to manage the team with autonomy, and which will avoid the disfunctions that happened due to the existence of a Director General's office of a distinct sporting character.

For this reason, the Board has decided to withdraw this Director General's office, which was run by Jorge Valdano, and incorporate its responsibilities to the Director General's office run by Jose Angel Sanchez. The coach, whose job will entail many responsibilities, will answer directly to Jose Angel Sanchez.

Therefore, due to the withdrawal of this Director General's office, it has been agreed to rescind Jorge Valdano's contract with the club.

This is the first step in the reorganisational process we will undertake in the coming weeks.

I do not want to hide, and wish to manifest, how painful Jorge Valdano's departure is to me. We've come a long way together, but Club Members also chose us to make the decisions we consider to be best at different times.

My feelings should not be a reason for me not to do what I believe is my duty.

We are very grateful to Jorge for the work he's done and for his dedication. We wish him the best and we would like him to be linked to the club once again in the future."