Florentino Pérez Breaks Silence: Elections, Media Wars and a Club in Crisis

For the first time in more than a decade, Florentino Pérez walked into the press room at Valdebebas and faced the media directly. And honestly, it felt less like a routine press conference and more like a club president trying to stop a fire from spreading through every corner of Real Madrid.

The timing was impossible to ignore. Just two days after Barcelona sealed the La Liga title with a 2-0 win over Madrid in El Clásico, Pérez suddenly called an emergency press conference. Rumours exploded immediately. Some thought he would resign. Others believed he was about to announce the return of José Mourinho. A few Spanish outlets even speculated about serious health issues behind the scenes.

Instead, Pérez arrived angry, defensive and determined to show he was still fully in control.

“I am not going to resign,” he said almost immediately after taking his seat.

That single sentence set the tone for everything that followed.

A season that pushed Real Madrid to breaking point

This has been one of the most chaotic seasons of the Pérez era. Real Madrid failed to win a major trophy, were knocked out of the Champions League earlier than expected and lost control of La Liga to Barcelona. But what really damaged the atmosphere around the club was the feeling that everything behind the scenes had become unstable.

There were reports of dressing-room arguments, leaks to journalists, tension between players and growing criticism of the board. The recent story involving Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde fighting internally only added more fuel to the fire. Pérez admitted incidents happen “every year,” but made it clear the leak itself angered him more than the conflict.

Throughout the season, fans kept asking the same question: where is Florentino Pérez?

Normally, the Real Madrid president avoids direct public appearances. He operates quietly, usually through official club statements or carefully controlled interviews. But this time, he clearly felt the pressure building.

According to Pérez, a media campaign had been created specifically to weaken both him and the club.

Pérez accuses media of attacking Real Madrid

A huge part of the press conference was dedicated to the Spanish media. Pérez repeatedly claimed that certain journalists and newspapers were trying to damage Real Madrid’s image and force him out of power.

He mocked reports suggesting he was tired or ill and strongly denied rumours about having cancer.

“My health is perfect,” Pérez said while pointing out that he still runs both Real Madrid and ACS, one of the world’s biggest construction companies.

At several moments, the conference became surprisingly emotional. This did not feel like the cold, calculated Florentino Pérez most football fans know. He looked irritated by the criticism and genuinely offended by the narrative surrounding him.

Spanish media reaction afterwards was brutal. Some newspapers described the press conference as bizarre, others called it chaotic and disconnected. Several journalists openly said Pérez looked like a president struggling to accept that the club is entering a dangerous period.

Still, Pérez made one thing very clear: he has absolutely no intention of walking away.

Real Madrid elections officially announced

The biggest announcement of the night was the decision to call presidential elections. Pérez confirmed that the current board will run again and challenged critics to present their own candidates.

This surprised many people because Pérez was only recently re-elected and his current term technically runs until 2029. However, by triggering elections now, he appears to be trying to turn the current crisis into a public show of support from the socios.

Real Madrid remains one of the few elite clubs still owned by its members rather than private investors or states. Pérez repeatedly emphasized this point during the conference, saying the club belongs to over 100,000 members.

In theory, anybody can run against him. In reality, it is extremely difficult. Candidates must provide enormous financial guarantees and meet strict membership requirements. That is one reason Pérez has repeatedly run unopposed for years.

He even joked that critics should “step forward” instead of hiding behind media campaigns. At one point, he delivered the most viral quote of the evening:

“They’ll have to shoot me to get me out.”

That line instantly exploded across social media.

Mourinho rumours remain unanswered

One of the biggest expectations before the conference was a possible announcement regarding the next manager. José Mourinho’s name had already started circulating heavily among fans after another disappointing season.

Pérez avoided giving direct answers.

He refused to discuss coaching decisions publicly and repeatedly tried to shift focus toward the election announcement and media criticism instead.

That silence only increased speculation.

Inside the club, uncertainty continues to grow regarding the future direction of the squad, recruitment strategy and technical staff. Fans are now waiting to see whether Pérez responds aggressively in the transfer market this summer or attempts another major rebuild similar to the Galácticos eras.

The Negreira case returns again

Another major moment came when Pérez once again brought up the Negreira scandal involving Barcelona and former refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira.

Pérez claimed Real Madrid had suffered massively because of refereeing issues over the years and said the club would continue pushing UEFA to investigate further.

At one point, he even suggested Madrid could have won far more league titles without those alleged problems.

Those comments immediately created another wave of controversy in Spain, especially because they arrived only days after Barcelona officially secured the title.

More than a press conference

In the end, this was not really about elections.

It was about control.

Florentino Pérez understands better than almost anyone how quickly pressure can grow around Real Madrid. After years of dominance in Europe, the atmosphere around the club suddenly feels fragile. Barcelona are winning again. The dressing room looks divided. Fans are frustrated. And for the first time in years, even Pérez himself looks under real pressure.

But if anyone expected him to quietly disappear, this press conference gave the opposite message.

He is staying. He is fighting back. And now Real Madrid enters one of the most important summers of the Pérez era.

Published by Patrick Jane
12.05.2026