This is important for the good of football. We can't demand our footballers are all role models and punish them for (in comparison) small personal misdemeanours and then allow an institution the size of Real Madrid to behave in any manner they see fit solely because they have money.

Real Madrid have become a law unto themselves and need to relearn to respect the game. They have decided they are above the laws of the game and decided to ignore all the principles that are set out in what was once 'the beautiful game' and is now only beautiful if you are a superpower.

They have taken this to a new level in their attempts to sign Gareth Bale before the transfer window has even opened. A Director of the 'biggest club' in the world should be behaving in a more moral and legal manner. The latest call from Zidane suggestion Bale should have a 'private meeting' with the club to push a transfer through is disgraceful... as well as Perez stating that Bale was 'born to play for Madrid'.

This is bigger than this window and this transfer, though. If nothing is done following what has been the most blatant bout of tapping up I can remember we may as well remove all tapping up rules completely... at least that way it would be 'fair' again, by allowing everyone to behave in such a way.