Real Madrid eliminate the cross on their logo to please Middle East partners

Florentino Perez (center) introduces the new emblem for the Middle East with Real Madrid players.

Real Madrid have done away with the cross from their club crest in accordance with a lucrative three-year deal with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. It is reported that the current European champion’s new crest is designed without the Christian cross, so as not to offend Muslim beliefs in the United Arab Emirates, wherein a marketing drive is scheduled.

The Club president Florentino Perez had called the deal signed in September as a "strategic alliance with one of the most prestigious institutions in the world." But the Spanish sports newspaper Marca criticized the club for redesigning the badge by saying that this shows how far the top football clubs are willing to go, that they are even ready to sacrifice their historical identity to get more revenue for the team.

The logo change was agreed by the 10-times European champions in order to avoid offending Muslim sensibilities in UAE. The crest, which was originally designed in 1931, usually contains a cross on top of a crown will be continued to be used in Europe.

It is reported by The Telegraph that a new design can be clearly seen in a new credit card released by the Perez, which also doubles as a Real Madrid membership card. The deal’s importance to the world’s wealthiest club, valued at nearly $3.5 billion, can be known with the multinational gathering of the club’s star footballers, which included Gareth Bale(Wales), Dani Carvajal (Spain), Karim Benzema (France) and Toni Kroos (Germany) at the occasion. The release of the changed design was revealed without much fanfare and the images were only released now, in spite of the "strategic alliance" done in September at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

"I know that the local people experience every match in a special way and that our links with the UAE are constantly growing stronger," Perez said. "This agreement will help the club to keep conquering the hearts of followers in the United Arab Emirates.”

Perez also stated recently quoted saying, "I know that the local people experience every match in a special way and that our links with the UAE are constantly growing stronger," "This agreement will help the club to keep conquering the hearts of followers in the United Arab Emirates.”

However, the original logo will still be retained for usage in Europe.