Florentino Pérez appeared before the media in the Santiago Bernabéu presidential box to clear up certain reports that have been published in recent days:"I have come before you to discuss reports that have no basis in reality and that contribute towards creating a climate of huge pressure around our coach and our players. What makes this club great, and I always say so, and it's why I believe we were awarded the title of Club of the 20th Century, are the high standards we demand of ourselves". "We are always the most critical, not only the club but the coach and the players, and we're the most demanding in our self-criticism, but I do not think that it is correct to take advantage of the fact that we are not going through our best period of form to publish reports that have no basis in reality". "The attacks on our coach and our players have been utterly disproportionate and I wish to declare emphatically that the club has complete confidence in the coach and the players. I wish to say, contrary to reports that have appeared today, that whatever happens in the coming days and in the coming weeks, Carlo Ancelotti will remain the Real Madrid coach and that all the players have the support and affection of the club, its president and its Board of Directors". "We've got the best coach and the best players that Real Madrid could have. They have earned the respect of all football fans, especially every Madridista. We feel very proud of all of them. This coach and these players have won the trophies that the club and the fans had been waiting for for many years. As well as the Copa del Rey, they have lifted our tenth European Cup, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup, playing wonderful football until just two months ago. For some, it was the best football in the history of this club". "Real Madrid, a club that has just celebrated its 113th anniversary, had never won four trophies in just one year. That means that the coach and the players are now a part of the legend and the history of a club that has the greatest list of honours in the history of football. All this was achieved because of our coach, our players and also, very importantly, the unity between everyone connected to the club".

"We have to remain united, calm and with the utmost confidence ahead of the challenges that still lie ahead and that generate the maximum excitement in us. We will continue to battle to win our eleventh European Cup and La Liga. This unity must be our strength both in the face of criticism that is respectful and contructive, and in the face of criticism that has other objectives. As president of Real Madrid, I ask all our members and fans to support our coach and our players and to feel proud of them for all that they have given us and for all that they will continue to give us".



"They need to feel our support and our affection, because that is our strength and that's the way it has been throughout our history. That support and affection is even more important when they need it, such as in this period. I'm not going to come out every day to deny reports, but I also want everyone to know that the president, the club and the Board of Directors feel proud of our coach and our players".



Squad

"What makes this club great are the high standards that we demand of ourselves. I do not think that it is correct to take advantage of the fact that we're not going through our best period of form to publish reports that have no basis in reality. We've got the best coach and the best players that Real Madrid could have".



"They have earned the respect of all fans and Madridistas, and we feel very proud. They have won the trophies that the club and the fans had been waiting for for many years, playing wonderful football until just two months ago. For some, it was the best football in the history of this club. We had never won four trophies in just one year, and it is now a part of the legend and the history of a club that has the greatest list of honours in the history of football".



"We've had good and bad spells. We played magnificently until December. We started to have an accumulation of bad luck; the injuries in the midfield, which we had rebuilt really well. I don't know what hitting rock bottom is, we're second in La Liga and we've qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, which isn't easy".



Carlo Ancelotti

"I told him when he came to the club that what he had experienced previously was not similar to what he was going to experience here. At Real Madrid the level of the demands are high, and you go from being the best team in history to everything being terrible. He's a bit surprised, but he's a man with a lot of experience, who has confidence in these players and who, above and beyond this atmosphere, is focused on his job and is in no doubt that we are going to have a good season".



"At breakfast, I saw in Marca that if anything happens we're going to sack him. Why don't you call me to ask? The coach has the confidence of the president and the Board of Directors. I'm not going to come out every day to deny reports, but I want you to know that he has our support and that, whatever happens, he will remain Real Madrid coach and that's what our fans want".



Casillas

"The Real Madrid goalkeeper is a symbol of this club and if at any time he makes a mistake, which we all do, what he needs is the affection and support of the members and fans. What has made us great is the unity and connection between the fans and the players and that has to be one of Real Madrid's assets".



Bale

"We signed Bale in the summer. What a fuss was made. Wishing to and attempting to affect the wishes of the coach is what does damage. Bale is one of the best players in the world, the most important teams fought and will continue to fight for his services. We must not forget what he managed to do in his first season at Real Madrid, in the two finals that we played".



Cristiano

"There are people who don't like us, but we're not going to take any notice of them. Nor am I going to repeat Cristiano Ronaldo's CV. They've all had a dip, caused by a series of circumstances, and are working to recover with the desire to fight to win the Ballon d'Or again. The relationship that I've seen between the players is among the best, if not the best, since I came to Real Madrid".



People to blame for the situation

"If you want to say I'm to blame for what's happening I'm sure I am, but in the view of your newspaper, Diario AS, I'm to blame for everything. I'm entirely to blame, but I'm also responsible for saying that what your newspaper says every day is not true. It has a self-interested campaign against me and it has no basis in reality".



Feelings after the match against Schalke

"My first feeling was one of satisfaction at going through, which is very difficult. For five or six years we were knocked out in the last 16 and now we're going to continue fighting for La Undécima. I always make my way down to the dressing room and I saw that the players were affected because we played well and it's very difficult to play well in every game against a team that has the game of its life against us".



The Clásico

"We're going to approach the game with the maximum excitement and sense of responsibility. We're going to try to win. The team is enthusiastic and raring to go there and win to go top again. Real Madrid are prepared to beat anyone because they're the world and European champions, and the holders of the Copa del Rey and the European Super Cup".



The venue for the Copa del Rey final

"Real Madrid have not refused anything. There are a lot of clubs who have offered their stadiums for the final and it will be chosen from them. That's my understanding".



The media

"I've said that some sections of the media say things that are not true. I'm here to say that. I won't say anything about others that have told the truth. In the face of this atmosphere and this pressure that there's an attempt to create, I want to tell all Real Madrid fans that we must be united to avoid any disruption. There are a lot of people who come to Spain for the first time and it has to be explained to them what the media is like. I try to earn the affection of all the media, but that's impossible. All I can do is ease the tension and when I see that the tension is rising, I come to out to speak the truth".