(Football news) Real Madrid is one of the most successful clubs in the world and has been for many decades. Around two years ago the club bought a women's team who has been successful ever since. The team is yet to deliver a piece of silverware but have qualified for the Women's Champions League in consecutive years. Kosovare Asllani, who was the first big signing the club made, left the club after last season ended. The Swedish international has now come out and made some shocking revelations.
"I think there is a culture at the club which is unhealthy for players to be in," Asllani said. "I have almost been forced to play injured. The management team has not listened to the medical team. It has become a very unhealthy and dangerous environment. I have done a lot for the club from the beginning and I have seen that the club has not treated players well over the years," she added.
"I think it's important for me to talk, since no-one else has. I have tried to make changes, but in the end, the environment created there is one of refusing to listen to the medical team and the players. It is no coincidence that I was injured there and had a setback, as you are constantly pushed to play injured. It is not a healthy environment. I care so much about the club, but I feel that it is in the wrong hands. I might have left last summer, but I gave it one last chance," Asllani said.
"I've been a big part of the club's history, but unfortunately it's an environment that is not healthy, and it's not just me. There are an incredible number of players who have had to go through a lot, which is not right at a top club. I think it's an environment created by just wanting results and seeing players as products."
The main accusation made by Asllani is that she was forced by the club to play even when not fully fit. Last season Asllani struggled a lot with injuries and towards the backend was not first choice. Real Madrid are yet to comment on the situation and there is a high chance that they don't. The Swedish forward did use the term 'almost forced' which means that she may just have been pushed to play which happens a lot in sport. The best thing for Real Madrid to do will be to launch an internal investigation inside the Women's team.
Another Swedish player Sofia Jakobsson who left the club a year ago said "I’ve been pretty lucky with no injuries myself so I haven’t been able to see what Asllani has experienced from the inside. Now, it was probably this year in particular, and Kosovare has been injured a lot in the time I haven’t been at Real Madrid. They also have a new coach, whereas I didn’t have the same coach since they changed. But I can say that I agree with her from what I have seen during my time there (at Madrid), although I was never injured.
"You think it’s an unprofessional environment, where maybe you had higher expectations and you expected them to take care of their players, and have a desire for them to be injury-free and perform at their absolute peak, as well as be 100 percent before games and not be half injured and play or be forced to play. I would want to see that a club can take care of that kind of player so they can play a full season without being injured all the time. Now I wasn’t there this year and ‘Kosse’ has maybe been more injury-prone than when I was there. She also played almost every game and had a great season [when I was there], but of course you support as much as you can on the side"
Jakobsson somewhat backed the claim made by Asllani but also said that she never experienced any such things. This could just be a case of Asllani trying to bad mouth Real Madrid out of spite. If there is any truth in her statements then Real Madrid must take action quickly. It would be catastrophic for Madrid if more players come out in support of Asllani's claim as it will damage their reputation. Even if Madrid solve things internally at some stage they will have to go public to respond to the criticism.
Asllani also said "I don't regret going to Real Madrid, but I say this because I want it to be a professional environment. I hope it becomes that" which shows that she means well and hopes that there is a change at the club. The Real Madrid women's team has been incredibly fast in their growth but they will soon have to focus on the welfare of its players before it's too late.
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