Florentino Perez hit out at LaLiga president Javier Tebas, rivals Barcelona, Spain’s referees and UEFA in a combative speech at Real Madrid‘s annual general meeting, while insisting the club will «win the next battles» on the Super League.
Around 1500 representatives of Madrid’s 98,000 members participated in Sunday’s meeting at the club’s Valdebebas training ground, approving its annual accounts, and quizzing the board.
In an 80-minute intervention, Perez criticised the league’s failed plan to hold a regular-season game in Miami, attacked changes in Spanish refereeing as «cosmetic» in the aftermath of the Negreira case, and said he was «more convinced than ever» of victory over UEFA in the Super League dispute.
Perez also confirmed that an extraordinary meeting would be held to vote on proposed «reforms to the club’s statutes, so that Madrid is best equipped to face challenges, and compete on an equal footing.»
At the club’s 2024 AGM, Perez first trailed the idea that a «corporate reorganization» was necessary, to protect Madrid’s assets following battles with LaLiga over the CVC investment deal and TV rights income.
«We’ll call a referendum so all [club] members can vote,» Perez said on Sunday. «The only objective is to protect the club from threats to our assets … I’m going to propose that we’re recognised as the club’s real owners.
«We’ll continue being a members’ club, but we would create a subsidiary, owned by members. We’ll allow 5% for a partner, if someone is willing to invest a significant amount, for a symbolic participation. Those investors should always respect our values.»
Perez did not say when the meeting would be held.
In recent years, Perez has led the club in a series of disputes with football’s governing bodies over the game’s future.
«I heard someone say that Real Madrid are against everything, but that obviously it isn’t true,» Perez said on Sunday. There are so many things that are wrong. We have to react.»
«Real Madrid have to lead the battle. Real Madrid are the only sporting club that has the institutional strength and wealth to take on this battle… Real Madrid have nothing to fear from these executives, not in Spain or in Europe.»
«They can’t put pressure on us with threats of punishments. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for most clubs. Not many are brave enough to raise their voices … But we aren’t alone.»
Perez had previously been restrained in criticism of Madrid’s rivals Barcelona over the Negreira case — with the legal process still ongoing — but Barça’s reconciliation with LaLiga, and abandoning of the Super League project, have led to a change of tone.
«It isn’t normal that Barcelona paid over €8m to the vice-president of referees [Negreira] over 17 years,» Perez said. «That coincided with the best results in Barcelona’s history.»
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Last month, Madrid said they would seek compensation from UEFA over its blocking of the Super League, after the European Court of Justice, and a Madrid court, found UEFA had breached EU competition law.
«We still insist [the Super League] is an essential project for football,» Perez said. «With the historic judgment of the European court, and two additional judgments from the Madrid court, the situation is very different.
«We have had our right to create our own competitions recognised. We can also claim multimillion euro damages for UEFA’s conduct. We have two rights: to be compensated for our losses, and to arrange a competition in the future, and we will tirelessly pursue both.»
Perez said negotiators had worked «tirelessly in recent months» to try to reach a compromise with UEFA on the issue, but an agreement had not been possible.
