AC
07-05-2005, 01:11 AM
Robinho mystified by Santos stance
Brazil forward Robinho said Monday that Real Madrid had offered $25 million to Santos for him and that he could not understand why the Brazilian champions would not let him go.
The 21-year-old, rated as one of the world's most exciting players, became bogged down in controversy last Wednesday after an interview at the Confederations Cup when he bid farewell to Santos supporters and said he wanted to play for the Spanish team.
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira replied that Robinho had a contract until 2008 and any club wanting to buy him beforehand would have to pay a $50 million penalty.
A furious Teixeira also accused Real of behaving unethically by approaching Robinho without the club's permission.
"I didn't expect such a fuss when I got a concrete offer to leave Brazil," Robinho told a media conference on Monday.
"I don't know if I'm going to play for Santos again. But at the moment, I'm not in the right frame of mind to play in Brazil."
"It's difficult to say that I don't want to play for Santos any more, but that's how life goes."
Robinho, who burst on to the scene in 2002 when he helped Pele's former club win their first Brazilian championship, said that Teixeira had promised he could leave the club after this year's Libertadores Cup campaign.
Santos's participation in the competition ended last month when they lost 5-2 on aggregate to Atletico Paranaense in the quarter-finals after Robinho missed the second leg because of the Confederations Cup.
"In October last year, when PSV (Eindhoven) and Benfica were interested in me, the president told me that he would let me go after the Libertadores for 10 million Euros," said Robinho.
"Real Madrid are offering $25 million and he doesn't want to let me go. I hope he keeps his promise."
Robinho defied orders by missing Santos training on Friday and Saturday and was left out of the team for Sunday's Brazilian championship match at home to Juventude.
"I'm not indisciplined and I don't have any privileges within the squad," Robinho said.
"My mind is at Real Madrid and there's no reason to train when my mind is with Real. I would get in the way of the coach (Gallo)."
Brazil forward Robinho said Monday that Real Madrid had offered $25 million to Santos for him and that he could not understand why the Brazilian champions would not let him go.
The 21-year-old, rated as one of the world's most exciting players, became bogged down in controversy last Wednesday after an interview at the Confederations Cup when he bid farewell to Santos supporters and said he wanted to play for the Spanish team.
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira replied that Robinho had a contract until 2008 and any club wanting to buy him beforehand would have to pay a $50 million penalty.
A furious Teixeira also accused Real of behaving unethically by approaching Robinho without the club's permission.
"I didn't expect such a fuss when I got a concrete offer to leave Brazil," Robinho told a media conference on Monday.
"I don't know if I'm going to play for Santos again. But at the moment, I'm not in the right frame of mind to play in Brazil."
"It's difficult to say that I don't want to play for Santos any more, but that's how life goes."
Robinho, who burst on to the scene in 2002 when he helped Pele's former club win their first Brazilian championship, said that Teixeira had promised he could leave the club after this year's Libertadores Cup campaign.
Santos's participation in the competition ended last month when they lost 5-2 on aggregate to Atletico Paranaense in the quarter-finals after Robinho missed the second leg because of the Confederations Cup.
"In October last year, when PSV (Eindhoven) and Benfica were interested in me, the president told me that he would let me go after the Libertadores for 10 million Euros," said Robinho.
"Real Madrid are offering $25 million and he doesn't want to let me go. I hope he keeps his promise."
Robinho defied orders by missing Santos training on Friday and Saturday and was left out of the team for Sunday's Brazilian championship match at home to Juventude.
"I'm not indisciplined and I don't have any privileges within the squad," Robinho said.
"My mind is at Real Madrid and there's no reason to train when my mind is with Real. I would get in the way of the coach (Gallo)."