Florentino Perez delivered a combative and wide-ranging press conference on Tuesday evening, declaring he will not resign as Real Madrid president, calling club elections in which he intends to stand again, levelling serious accusations at referees and branding LaLiga “our enemies.” It was a defiant performance from a 79-year-old under significant pressure after a second consecutive trophyless season.
“I am not going to resign,” Perez said, framing his decision to seek re-election as a necessary defence of the club against what he called a coordinated campaign against Real Madrid’s interests.
The backdrop to Perez’s announcement could hardly be more damaging. Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday to claim back-to-back La Liga titles with three games still to play, while Madrid had already exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage against Bayern Munich. It marks a second successive season without a major trophy.
Off the pitch, the atmosphere has been equally toxic. Supporters have openly protested against Kylian Mbappe over a perceived lack of commitment, and training ground disputes have surfaced throughout the season, including one incident serious enough to send midfielder Fede Valverde to hospital. Current head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso in January, is widely expected to depart at the end of the season, with former Madrid manager Jose Mourinho linked with a return.
The most explosive moment of the press conference came when Perez turned his fire on the referees, claiming their decisions had cost Real Madrid the title and distorted the entire season.
“The referees have stolen 18 points from us in LaLiga,” he said. “The 14-point deficit with three matches left is not down to our own form. It is down to refereeing decisions.”
He went further, claiming he had been robbed of league titles throughout his presidency. “I have won only seven LaLiga titles with Real Madrid? I should have 14. They stole the other seven from me,” he fumed.
Perez also used the occasion to revisit the Negreira affair, describing it as “the worst scandal in football history” and expressing frustration that it remains unresolved.
The case centres on allegations that Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, former vice-president of the Spanish Referees’ Committee, received more than seven million euros from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018. The Spanish public prosecutor’s office claims the payments were made to secure favourable refereeing decisions. Barcelona insists the money was paid only for legitimate reports and advice.
“The same referees from the Negreira era are still in action. They are still officiating. That makes no sense,” Perez said. “Barca paid for Negreira’s services for two decades and these referees are still active in the third decade.”
Despite the turbulence, Perez remained defiant about his legacy and his right to continue leading the club, portraying outside criticism as opportunistic and self-serving.
“I have made this decision because an absurd situation has been created to generate a tide of opinion against the interests of Real Madrid. I want to put an end to this anti-Madrid current that wants to destroy Real Madrid,” he said.
“I have been here 26 years and it has been a wonderful time. I am standing for re-election to return the club’s assets to its members.”
He issued a direct challenge to any potential rivals. “If anyone wants to run, they should not just pretend. Let them run, but let them say what they are going to do and how they are going to finance everything.”
