AS.com

Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos have released an official statement declaring their support for José Mourinho and backing Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez's claim that reports in a newspaper that morning that the two Madrid captains had told the club they would leave if José Mourinho stayed on as coach next season were false.

Pérez gave a press conference on Thursday afternoon in which he announced: "It is completely false that in the lunch I had with the club captains and the director general I was given an ultimatum about the coach, or anything of the sort."

The statement from Casillas and Ramos reads:

With regards to the information that appeared in one publication today, the Real Madrid captains want to state the following:

1. That there was no ultimatum concerning our coach during the meeting that took place on Tuesday with the president and the director general of the club.

2. As captains of the team and members of an excellent and professional group, we reject the use of our names and the rest of our staff with this story, which is completely false.

4. Finally, we want to remind the members and supporters of Real Madrid that, as always, it's only through the unity of Real Madrid that we overcome the challenges we face every season.

¡Hala Madrid!

Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.