Fifa is facing a threat to its new 32-team Club World Cup after Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach of Real Madrid, insisted the European champions would not take part in the tournament.
Ancelotti also claimed that other clubs will refuse the invitation from Fifa to take part in the tournament, which is due to be played in June and July next year in the United States. Chelsea and Manchester City are the two English clubs lined up to feature.
“Fifa can forget it. The club and the footballers won’t participate in that tournament,” Ancelotti told the Italian newspaper Il Giornale. “One Real Madrid game is worth 20million [euros], and Fifa wants to give us that sum for the entire tournament. No way.“