Heynckes in 1998: President, I can't work with this team, they are sons of b*tches Real Madrid Would go on to defeat Juventus in 1998 Champions League final

It was a long 32-year wait for Real Madrid, but in 1998 they brought the Champions League back to the Spanish capital, despite the fact that just a week prior to the final Jupp Heynckes told president Lorenzo Sanz that he couldn't work with the team, describing some players as sons of bitches.

A sole Predrag Mijatovic goal handed the Spanish giants the title in Amsterdam, but it was to be the last act for the German in charge of Real Madrid, as Sanz himself made clear.

"A week before playing Juventus I called Jupp and asked him how he was doing, he told me that he was deflated and that he wouldn't work with the team," he explained in an interview with the Idolos programme.

"I asked him how he couldn't work with the team and told him that he'd then left me deflated.

"I then had to gather seven or eight of the more important players and tell them that Jupp felt he couldn't work with them, that they were sons of bitches and that he couldn't win with them."

Real Madrid didn't arrive into the final in the best form, but were victorious nevertheless, although Sanz feeling that he had no option but to allow Heynckes to leave.

"We were European champions, but logically someone who tells you that they can't work with the team can't continue," he admitted.

"Explaining that the coach who had made us European champions was not continuing was complicated, but I couldn't leave the situation how it was."

Sanz often had rather well publicised arguments with opposing presidents, not least Joan Gaspart at Barcelona, however the Spaniard maintains the pair had a good relationship.

"Gaspart, as you know, is a very impulsive man, and I had a huge row with him," he confirmed.

"After one Clasico we went down to the bar and Gaspart arrived like a man possessed.

"He kept asking me what happened and I told him to leave me alone or else we'd end up coming to blows, but we've always had a good relationship."