Arda Güler harassed at Real Madrid by his own teammates | OneFootball

A strong controversy is shaking Real Madrid following statements by Serhat Pekmezci, trainer and mentor of Arda Güler, who publicly denounced that the young Turkish talent is allegedly suffering workplace harassment within the squad. According to the coach, the harassment does not come from the coaching staff or the club’s management, but from a group of players in the locker room.

In an interview with the Turkish outlet Sports Digitale, Pekmezci was blunt in describing the situation Güler is facing in Madrid. “Although Real Madrid is a mega club, Arda is suffering mobbing. It’s not that he complained to me, but I knew this would happen. I told him to be patient,” said the coach who accompanied the footballer in his early professional steps.

Far from stopping at a general description, the mentor of the attacking midfielder directly pointed to those responsible for the alleged harassment: “The harassment came from the players. There is a group there that has not been able to accept Arda; unfortunately, they are footballers with very high egos.” According to Pekmezci, the situation has even started to affect the player’s mood: “Arda is very patient and aware, but even he has started to rebel and ask himself: ‘Why always me?’”

The accusations were not limited to the present situation of the Turkish footballer. Pekmezci also described a toxic atmosphere within the Real Madrid locker room and linked it to major decisions at the club. “That toxicity prevented the arrival of Jürgen Klopp. He had already said that some players had to leave for him to accept the job. That’s also why Xabi Alonso left,” he claimed.

In another part of the interview, the coach surprised with a comparison that sparked reactions in Turkey: he stated that Fenerbahçe is “a bigger club than Real Madrid.” “We have world-renowned athletes, a basketball team that is European champion, a coach who led Brazil to win the World Cup, and many legends who only served this club,” he argued.

Pekmezci’s words were also marked by his own personal experience. The trainer, who was key in bringing Güler and other talents to Fenerbahçe, claimed to have been a victim of harassment during his departure from the Turkish club: “They fired me, dissolved my team, and then subjected me to brutal harassment.”

The statements have ignited debate both in Turkey and Spain, putting the spotlight on Arda Güler’s situation within one of the most powerful squads in the world. For now, there has been no official response from Real Madrid, but the issue promises to keep making noise.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.