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A press conference by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, one of the most powerful men in Europe, has turned into a political row engulfing commentors, the media and progressive politicians accusing the football chief of sounding like Donald Trump.
In a rare QA with the press, Pérez said he would not step down after a disastrous season, in which Real Madrid failed to qualify for the Champions League final and lost La Liga title to Barcelona. “I am sorry to say that I am not resigning,” he said.
Pérez then announced the club would hold elections and that he would stand as a candidate once again. But it was what followed that drew the most attention.
Visibly angry, the 79-year-old criticised recent media coverage of internal tensions at the club, including reports of a dressing-room incident involving players Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde, who ended up in hospital. Both were fined.
Pérez also became involved in a verbal exchange with journalist David Sánchez de Castro of ABC over the newspaper’s coverage of Real Madrid. He later announced he would cancel his subscription to ABC, saying: “It was my father who subscribed me, and I am cancelling it in his honour.”
Sánchez de Castro was not the only ABC journalist mentioned. Referring to two recent articles published by the outlet about the club, Pérez said: “One of them was written by a woman. I don’t know if she knows anything about football.”
He later added, pointing to another journalist: “That girl there, ask a question. The rest of you are very ugly.”
Spain’s most listened-to radio station, Cadena SER, criticised Pérez’s comments, saying they reflected “arrogance and sexism”.
ABC described them as “outrageous attacks” intended to “cover up the club’s failures”. The journalist targeted by Pérez, María José Fuenteálamo, said she “did not expect this” and added that she had only written an opinion column.
Calculated risk?
Some commentators in Spain argued that Florentino Pérez lost his sense of proportion during the press conference, with El Mundo comparing his appearance to a “Trumpist exercise”. Others suggested it was a calculated attempt to divert attention from another trophyless season — the club’s second in a row.
That strategy may have backfired, as Pérez’s comments regarding Barcelona and alleged corruption have prompted the Catalan club to consider possible legal action.
Pérez described Barcelona’s alleged corruption as “the biggest scandal in football history”, claiming that “seven league titles were stolen” from Real Madrid as a result, and announced that a 500-page dossier would be submitted to UEFA, European football’s governing body.
Spanish media and journalists have largely focused on his comments, but some have also highlighted what was not said. MARCA, traditionally Spain’s most widely read sports outlet, noted that Pérez avoided addressing the club’s own crisis.
In what it described as a “confusing” and “chaotic” press conference, MARCA also said that any form of self-criticism was absent from his remarks.
Real Madrid is one of the most successful football clubs in modern football, having won more Champions League titles than any other European club. It is widely recognised internationally as a global football brand. Pérez is the club’s longest-serving president.