“What has happened at Real Madrid is not normal. Within a team environment like that, such incidents should not occur, even though it’s neither the first nor the last time. These are situations that can arise in a dressing room during moments of frustration. Managing 30 individuals is not easy, and sometimes mistakes are made that should not happen.”
Luis Figo made these remarks on Friday during an event at the Hotel Seventy in Barcelona, where he was announcing a three-year sponsorship agreement between LaLiga and Duracell. He was referring to the crisis that erupted at Real Madrid after the altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni at Valdebebas on Thursday.
Regarding the upcoming clásico on Sunday, Figo was cautious about predictions, stating: “You should never underestimate Madrid. In a clásico, anything can happen.”
He also had words for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, evaluating their season: “They are playing great football. They’ve had a very good year in LaLiga. Unfortunately, in the Champions League, moments decide a season, but without a doubt, they have been playing very well. They have young players with enormous talent despite financial difficulties. They are doing a fantastic job.”
Figo: “What happened between Valverde and Tchouaméni cannot be considered normal” / Jordi CARNÉ
Asked about the possibility of José Mourinho returning to Madrid, Figo replied: “I’ve had him as a translator, as an assistant coach, as head coach, and as a friend, and I have never seen him as someone with an iron hand,” he began. “Seriously speaking, I don’t think Madrid needs that, knowing the club and the atmosphere there. In the end, you have to know how to manage 25 egos, and nowadays, besides understanding football, a coach must know how to handle those egos to convince the players to all go in the same direction. I don’t know, you’d have to ask Florentino. José is a friend of mine, and I wish him the best.”
He added: “If you look at recent years, Del Bosque, Zidane, or Ancelotti do not exactly match a strict profile. I believe that model does not work.”
Duracell, the global leader in battery manufacturing and marketing, will be the official partner of Spanish football’s added time for the next three seasons. The collaboration will capitalize on a period during which 8.1% of goals are scored in LaLiga and over 65% of those goals change the outcome of matches. Javier Hernández, global marketing director of Duracell, and Jorge de la Vega, managing director of LaLiga, celebrated the agreement. Duracell will appear on the fourth official’s board and other visible points starting from the 2026/27 season. “Duracell represents lasting energy, effort, and resilience—qualities that sustain you when everything is on the line,” Hernández added.
Luis Figo: “I don’t believe in an iron hand. A coach must understand football and how to manage a squad of 30 players” / Jordi CARNÉ/SPORT
