Jose Mourinho has uttered some classic transfer related quotes in his time
#8 Joan Gaspart on Luis Figo’s 2000 move to Real Madrid, 2017
Ad
Figo celebrates scoring a goal
“Figo was a coward who betrayed us”
Ad
Trending
In the summer of 2000, Luis Figo made one of the most infamous transfers in football history when he left Barcelona to sign with their hated rivals Real Madrid for a then-world record fee of £37m. Barca fans never forgave the Portuguese midfielder – throwing objects such as a pig’s head at him when he returned to play for Real at the Nou Camp.
Evidently, Barcelona’s former president Joan Gaspart – who was vice-president at the time of the move – still hasn’t forgiven the player some 17 years on. When asked about Neymar’s 2017 move from Barca to Paris St. Germain – for a new world record fee of £200m – Gaspart managed to throw both players under the bus in one fell swoop.
Ad
“Figo left with treachery and with no time to renew the team,” Gaspart said. “He was a coward who betrayed us. Neymar went for the money, full stop.”
Essentially, despite being labelled a money-grabber for the want of a better term, the Brazilian striker was still being compared favourably to Figo, who simply made an unthinkable move and will likely remain despised in Barcelona for years to come. Gaspart’s quote likely summed up the feelings of all Barca fans.
×
Feedback
Why did you not like this content?
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Scott Newman
Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.
Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.
Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.
His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.
Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.