• Ancelotti denies Benzema return rumors before the Las Palmas clash.
• Barca was criticized for comments about Madrid’s win, called “disgrace.”
• Ancelotti reminds everyone of Barca’s ongoing corruption case.

Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid boss, has denied rumors of Karim Benzema returning to the Santiago Bernabeu during a press conference ahead of the La Liga clash against Las Palmas.

Benzema, who moved to the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2023 after spending almost 14 years with the Whites, is currently seeking a way out of the Gulf Country.

Ancelotti was asked if there was any truth to rumors about bringing the five-time Champions League winner back to the Santiago Bernabeu, and the Italian was quick to shut the rumors down.

Ancelotti also criticized Barcelona for their comments on Madrid ever since Los Blancos’ controversial 3-2 win against Almeria.

Barca’s president, Joan Laporta, called what happened at the Bernabeu that night a “disgrace” and stated that his team was not able to perform due to the referee’s decisions.

Ancelotti did not approve of such comments from arch-rivals and reminded everyone that a case has been going on against Barcelona for the payment to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.

“They (Barcelona) have talked a lot this week. We don’t have to deflect the topic; everyone knows what has happened in the last 20 years in Spanish football; that is the problem,” Ancelotti said.

“Spanish football has had a problem. Now the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office and the Civil Guard are doing the investigation and now we have to wait. You don’t have to divert the topic.”

It’s important to note that Barcelona faces charges in 2023 of “continuous corruption in the sports field” related to payments they made to the former Vice President of the Technical Committee of Referees, Jose Maria Enrique Negreira.

From 2001 to 2018, Barca reportedly paid Negreira close to €7 million ($7.5 million), according to the Spanish news source El Mundo.

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