Florentino Pérez delivered one of the most forceful speeches of his 25-year presidency at Real Madrid’s Annual General Meeting today, launching a sweeping critique of Spanish refereeing, LaLiga’s governance,
UEFA’s practices, club ownership protections, and the overall direction of Spanish football. From the Negreira case to the Bernabéu redevelopment, from squad legacy to institutional threats, Pérez laid out a comprehensive—and often scathing—diagnosis of what he believes are systemic abuses harming Real Madrid and the integrity of the sport.
Below is a breakdown of the major themes.
Refereeing Crisis and the Negreira Case: “It’s Not Normal. Whatever the Reason.”
“The level of Spanish refereeing is unacceptable. It’s a disgrace that FIFA didn’t select a single one of the 35 Spanish on-field referees. And it’s not normal that Barcelona has paid the vice president of the referees’ association more than eight million euros for 17 years—whatever the reason.
“Negreira held a key position in the refereeing hierarchy. A period that coincides—coincidentally—with Barcelona’s best sporting results in our country.”
He backed his argument with statistical comparisons:
- In 2021, Real Madrid had a net balance of –2 red cards.
- Barcelona: +61.
- In Europe during the same period: +12 for Barça, +13 for Madrid.
- During Negreira’s era: Barcelona +49, Real Madrid –1.
“Draw your own conclusions…”
He added that Real Madrid is the only club appearing in court regarding the scandal and criticized calls to “move on”:
“Who is going to forget the Negreira case? The reality is that they are still there. It prevents them from acting neutrally.”
He also denounced an incident before a recent Copa del Rey final:
“How is it possible that the referee said they were going to take action against our club before a final? He should have been removed. No action was taken.”
LaLiga, Tebas, and Governance: “Nothing About This Is Normal”
Pérez’s criticism extended forcefully to LaLiga and its president, Javier Tebas.
On the controversial Miami match proposal:
“Not even their captain, Frenkie de Jong, thinks it’s normal. And it’s not normal that LaLiga supports two teams—Barcelona and Villarreal—who receive incentives for playing in Miami.”
He mocked comparisons with the NFL:
“It’s nothing like the NFL. The NFL game was legal, supported by all institutions. This… is a failed gamble.”
He continued with a broader financial accusation:
“It’s not normal that LaLiga charges six times more than the Premier League.”
Pérez also attacked the handling of the players’ protest earlier this season:
“We all witnessed LaLiga’s shameful censorship. I don’t know what was more disgraceful: the 30-second delay or hiding behind a ‘commitment to peace.’ Peace? What peace?”
And he revealed something previously unknown:
“The president of LaLiga offered me a position in the Federation. I told him, ‘You don’t know me.’”
Media Hostility and the Failing Legends Museum
Pérez said LaLiga’s media investments—including the much-criticized Legends museum project—have produced losses borne by the clubs:
“LaLiga continues to lose millions of our money with the failure of the Legends museum. Some media outlets were created solely to harm Real Madrid—opaquely.”
UEFA, Super League, and the Future of Football Governance
Pérez reaffirmed Madrid’s stance on the Super League and its legal wins:
“It’s not normal or legal to prevent clubs from organizing their own tournaments. Clubs are free. No one can sanction us.”
He argued that UEFA’s interests no longer align with fans’:
“They force us to play in Asia or near China. Watching football is becoming increasingly expensive.”
The Squad, Ancelotti, Club Legends, and the Youth System
Pérez shifted tone to celebrate the club’s footballing achievements.
Real Madrid have won 30 titles in 15 seasons, despite unprecedented injury crises last season:
“Carvajal and Militao were unavailable almost the entire campaign. Camavinga, Ceballos, Mendy all missed long stretches. They played over 80 games.”
He delivered heartfelt tributes:
- Carlo Ancelotti: “The most decorated coach in our history. Fifteen titles.”
- Luka Modrić: interrupted by long applause — “He belongs to the heart of Real Madrid.”
- Lucas Vázquez: “A legend and an example.”
- Jesús Vallejo: “Leaves with 13 titles.”
- Raúl: “A role model to all. Thank you, dear Raúl.”
He celebrated the academy’s historic productivity:
Eight first-team players this season are academy products: Carvajal, Asensio, Fran García, Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Carreras, Gonzalo.
He also highlighted women’s football:
“It’s still young, finished second again, and is one of the top eight in Europe.”
Bernabéu Redevelopment: “The Best Stadium in the World”
Pérez celebrated the €1.347B renovation and last week’s NFL milestone:
“The commissioner said they played in the best stadium in the world.”
He detailed the financing:
- €575M loan in 2019
- €300M for the underground tunnel
- €360M for technology upgrades
All at fixed rates.
“We pay €60M annually and earn €150M. The deal is perfect.”
He confirmed that remaining works—like soundproofing—finish in December, and highlighted cooperation with Madrid authorities on public transit and accessibility.
He declined to comment on the Sky Bar due to ongoing legal procedures.
Statutory Reform: “We Must Protect the Club From External Attacks”
Pérez dedicated the final portion of his speech to governance reform—a historic shift to protect the members’ ownership structure.
He revealed that political amendments hidden in parliamentary legislation triggered the club’s push for reform.
“They wanted to deprive us of our revenue without political parties knowing. That money belongs to the members.”
Key points of the reform Pérez will propose:
- Recognize the 100,000 members as the permanent, true owners of the club.
- Freeze that number—new members only admitted when a current member passes away, prioritizing descendants.
- Establish a subsidiary where members retain 100% control, while allowing up to a 5% minority stake only to determine market value.
- Real Madrid would always hold the repurchase rights of that stake.
“We must shield the club’s assets from external threats.”
“Many members don’t realize they are the financial owners of the club. We are all owners—and with this reform, we will be even more so.”
He dismissed rumors:
“Absurd things about me resigning, or handing the club to a foundation—you’ll read that in the newspapers that ‘love us so much.’”
A Defiant Closing Message
“We want to remain a members’ club. Our Board is united. We know the threats we face. After 25 years—if I commit to something, I deliver on it.”
