A man in a suit and tie appears in the foreground while a player in a blue uniform points to the badge on his jersey in a stadium full of spectators.
Achraf Hakimi recalls Florentino PĂ©rez after Real Madrid's thrashing | Camara Enrique Sanz
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Hakimi points at Florentino after PSG-Real Madrid and drops a burn: 'His decision'

The Moroccan full-back made some very striking statements at the end of the semifinals

by

Enrique Sanz

One of the standout players in the match between PSG and Real Madrid, which ended with an unfavorable result for the white squad, is Achraf Hakimi. The "2" of the team coached by Luis Enrique was a constant threat to the Madrid defenders, contributing to the defeat at MetLife Stadium.

His words in the flash interview after sealing the ticket to the final of the Club World Cup included a very striking comment about his former connection with Real Madrid. After all, the current PSG full-back was developed at La Fábrica and made his debut with the first team in the 17/18 season.

Two PSG players celebrate a goal in the stadium; one of them is on the other's shoulders and both look excited.
Achraf Hakimi celebrating a PSG goal at the Club World Cup | Real Madrid Confidencial

However, the African footballer didn't have a place in Santiago Bernabéu locker room. The white club's sporting management let him leave in a series of loans that soon helped him grow in quality, clearly aiming for a spot in the first team. Those plans changed radically with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced Real Madrid to let him go for 40 million euros.

That is one of the deals that Florentino PĂ©rez, during his second term as president of the Madrid club, deeply regrets. Especially because of the great performance Achraf Hakimi is showing now with the rouge-et-bleu club. The defender of the French side recalled that situation in his post-match interview.

Public statement

"How could Real Madrid let me go? It was its decision, not mine," clarified PSG's "2" after the victory in the Club World Cup over his former team. Those words refer to the decision made by Florentino PĂ©rez regarding the transfer that Real Madrid completed a few years ago.

That sale was one of the least accepted by the white club, but it was necessary to ensure the continuity of its healthy finances. Thanks to those departures, the executives led by Florentino PĂ©rez managed to ensure that Real Madrid was the only club that didn't record losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A man with short hair and a serious expression looking to the side.
Achraf Hakimi in a match with PSG from several seasons ago | Real Madrid Confidencial

The white club's sporting management has tried to bring Achraf Hakimi back on several occasions, but it hasn't succeeded. His former contract with PSG, signed until the summer of 2026, offered minimal chances to attempt a return as a free agent... but the North African defender chose to continue in the locker room at Parc des Princes.

In any case, Achraf Hakimi took advantage of PSG's rout in the Club World Cup to send a message to the president of Real Madrid. Florentino PĂ©rez and the rest of the board of directors, however, already know they weren't right in that decision... whose consequences are still being paid for.

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