Hierro Booted Out Of Madrid After Party Celebrations Turn Sour

Real Madrid's decision to release their captain Fernando Hierro doesn't appear to be down to footballing reasons, but due to a bust-up with director of sport Jorge Valdano.

It was announced last night that Hierro, as well as manager Vicente Del Bosque, would be leaving the Spanish giants.

The veteran Spanish defender has widely been criticised for some of his performances this season and the general consensus has been that he needs to be replaced, however it was believed that he'd be staying at the Bernabeu, possible for the next two seasons.

However, when Real were supposed to celebrating their 29th league title cracks began forming between the players and management at the biggest football club in the World.

Reports have claimed that Hierro was instigating a players revolt after becoming increasingly disillusioned with the clubs treatment of some of their players, namely Fernando Morientes and Guti, who have both suffered as a result of President Florentino Perez's lavish spending in the transfer market.

Relations between Hierro and Valdano are understood to have also been tense for some time, but the pressure-cooker atmosphere at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening saw the problems reach boiling point.

Hierro, who as captain represented the players during their celebrations, repeatedly clashed with Valdano throughout the evening, as he tried to ensue the club undertook their traditional post-championship rituals.

Perez, unhappy at the gloomy atmosphere on what should have been a glorious night, consequently decided to end Hierro's glorious career at Madrid prematurely, presumably in order to remove what he felt to be the root of the ill feeling in the camp, but surely has only made matters worse?