Pepe’s messy breakup with Real Madrid tarnishes his legacy

Breakups are always tough. But they’re even harder when one person decides to start airing the couple’s dirty laundry in public. Such is the case with Real Madrid defender Pepe, who has decided to make his frustrations with his club known by blasting Real Madrid in the media.  As we reported earlier this week, Pepe will no longer be wearing the Royal White next season, transferring away from Real Madrid to PSG. Pepe had a chance to make it a clean break, but has decided to make things messy by trash-talking his (now) former club.

Pepe has been an admirable servant for Real Madrid. After earning a reputation early in his career for being Jose Mourinho’s hit-man, Pepe slowly but surely began to transform his game.

Last season, from the late stages of the Champions League all the way to a victory with Portugal in the 2016 Euro, Pepe made a name for himself as one of the best, most disciplined center defenders in the world.

Pepe played a big role this season, even keeping Raphael Varane from having a nailed on place in the starting lineup. That was, until he collided with Toni Kroos in a match against Atletico Madrid, breaking two of his ribs.

Many thought that Pepe might be out for the season. But he was able to at least make his way back to training ahead of the semifinals against Atletico Madrid, leaving some to wonder whether he might start in the final against Juventus. It was not to be, however, as Varane and Ramos, arguably Madrid’s best possible center-back pairing, got the nod over the Portuguese defender.

The combination of a failed series of contract talks and his inability to find his way back into the squad by the end of the season made Pepe very unhappy with the higher-ups at Real Madrid, a fact that he did not hide from the media upon his exit.

On a radio interview for El Partidazo de COPE, Pepe discussed how he felt that he was being mistreated by the club in the months leading up to his departure. His grievances with the club itself centered around two primary concerns: First, the club did not want to give him more than a one-year contract extension. Second, the club did not do enough to defend him against accusations of tax fraud.

Pepe vented his frustrations on the interview, as translated by ESPN FC:

"They offered me a one-year deal… They do not give two years to players over 33… There are ways of talking and negotiating. Real Madrid’s behaviour has not been correct… The club did not defend me with the tax issue. They knew I was up to date and had no problem. That hurt me, as I always fulfilled my obligations, and they made me understand I was not valued."

In addition to his grievances with the club’s bureaucrats, Pepe also hinted at his disappointment in the actions of Real Madrid’s manager Zinedine Zidane.

While Pepe felt that he was fit and ready to start for the last few games of the season, he thought his inclusion in the starting lineup was never even properly considered:

"I don’t want to blame anyone… What he [coach Zinedine Zidane] is doing for Madrid is spectacular, but there are things I still don’t understand. I cannot explain to you why I disappeared from the team in the last games. With Zidane we did not say goodbye properly. Zidane and Madrid knew I was going before I did."

It’s a shame that Pepe decided it had to end like this.

It’s hard to understand his complaints. If Madrid were offering him a one-year contract extension, the onus is on Pepe to accept that extension or move on.

It’s completely reasonable for a club to not want to sink the time and money into a two-year contract extension for a player who is starting to see the twilight of his career.  Pepe is 34 years old. Even for a center-back, Pepe is starting to reach the upper limits of footballer’s career length.

His complaint about Zidane is equally unreasonable. Broken ribs are a hard injury to come back from quickly. And Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos were both in fine form leading up to the UCL final.

More from The Real Champs

• The Xabi Factor: What Alonso could bring to Real Madrid as manager
• Manchester City hold talks over Real Madrid target
• Real Madrid player confirms he is playing with a fracture
• Real Madrid superstar rejected Premier League clubs confirmed
• Spaniard ready to join Real Madrid instead of Liverpool

Even if Pepe had been fully fit, and Varane and Ramos hadn’t, there’s not 100% certainty that Pepe would deserve to start over Nacho, who has also been having a hell of a season.

Pepe could have left Madrid with an unblemished record. For Real Madrid fans,  the memory of his years of loyal servitude for the crest would have been his lasting legacy for the club.

But now, Pepe is leaving on bad terms. Like most good relationships that end poorly, Pepe’s recent actions will likely soon be forgotten in favor of happier memories.

But for the time being, Pepe will be remembered as a bitter, scorned ex who decided to make a scene rather than break things off quietly.