Football: Real president denies press report about rift between Mourinho and stars
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MADRID (REUTERS) - Real Madrid president Florentino Perez angrily denied a report in Marca sports daily on Thursday that said there was a rift between coach Jose Mourinho and club captains Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.
In an unusual move for the construction magnate, Perez called a press conference at the Bernabeu stadium to address the report, which he said was "simply a lie" and was "designed to destabilise the club".
Marca had said, without naming the source of its information, that Casillas and Ramos had threatened to quit the Spanish football giants - along with several team-mates - unless Mourinho was dismissed.
The alleged ultimatum was given at a meal with Perez and director general Jose Angel Sanchez this week, according to the paper.
