Hello Real Madrid, Let Me Introduce You to Mr Pot and Mr Kettle

With the transfer window coming to a close tomorrow, there is bound to be some frantic hurrying around by managers and representatives from various clubs seeking to tie up deals.

The Robinho transfer saga will end tomorrow, albeit temporarily, and in another development, Chelsea and Real Madrid have been exchanging statements criticising each other.

Real got things under way by posting a statement on their website ahead of their game with Deportivo La Coruna. The statement read:

"Real Madrid believes all its attention should be paid exclusively to tonight's important official match. This criteria has been completely ignored by the player Robinho with the announcements he made just hours prior to the game.

"Concerning Robinho's comments, the club once again stresses the contents of a previous official announcement, in which it said it would have no other choice but to accept a unilateral resolution of the player's contract if he willed it so.

"Real Madrid CF deeply regrets the behaviour of Chelsea FC Board Members who, despite knowing Real Madrid's negative to transfer the player, have continued to make gestures and announcements that reached their peak with the selling of Robinho Chelsea shirts through the club's official website. All this has complicated the situation further and confused the public."

Chelsea hit back with a statement of their own:

"There is nothing wrong with publicly confirming our interest in a player when the club involved is well aware of it, has been in receipt of two bids and is negotiating to sell the player. So we completely refute any criticism from Real Madrid.

"As for the issue regarding the website, Real are well aware this was a regrettable accident by an external supplier which was rectified as soon as it was brought to our attention and not a single shirt was sold."

The hierarchy at Real Madrid must have very short memories. Didn't they do exactly the same thing they are complaining about in their pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo earlier on in the summer?

It is sheer hypocrisy and now they know what it feels like to have one of your own players publicly courted by another club.