Chelsea must be about as popular in Spain as a David Healy hat-trick. Apparently not content with their on-going feud with Barcelona, the Blues have now found themselves in a battle of bitchy press statements with Real Madrid.
The argument stems from claims made by Real president Ramon Calderon that Chelsea’s spending was ruining football by over-inflating transfer fees (sounds like stating the obvious to me). Chelsea’s director of communications, Simon Greenberg, couldn’t wait to get his claws out. He said: "We run ourselves as much as we can as a plc and we are completely transparent about our accounts – which is something that cannot be said for many top European clubs, including, I would say, Real Madrid."
I reckon fate will probably deal up a Champions League meeting between the two clubs.
[Rob Parker]