Florentino Pérez Sees Conspiracy Everywhere: 'They Said I Had Terminal Cancer'

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez walked into a hastily scheduled news conference on Tuesday looking like a man with a lot on his mind. He left an hour later having accused journalists of orchestrating a campaign to destroy his club, claimed people in the shadows are plotting to unseat him, and revealed that his detractors once spread a rumour that he had terminal cancer.

It was not a typical day at the office.

Pérez, usually calm and soft-spoken, appeared agitated as he confronted reporters at the club's training centre. The timing was not accidental. Two days earlier, Madrid had lost 2-0 to Barcelona, watching their Catalan rivals clinch a second straight Spanish league title. It has now been two consecutive seasons without a major trophy for Madrid – this despite having Kylian Mbappé in the squad.

Pérez called for new club elections and told his opponents to present themselves and challenge him and his board of directors. "I want to talk about all those I believe are behind this campaign," he said. "Some people are moving in the shadows to run for elections. Well, let them run. This is the opportunity I am giving them."

The 79-year-old president said he made the decision to speak because of what he called an absurd situation of campaigns against the interests of Real Madrid and especially against him. He acknowledged that the results have not been the greatest, but noted that has happened before. The difference now, he argued, is that people are taking advantage of the poor results to attack him personally.

He claimed the campaign against him was being orchestrated by "bad journalists and non-journalists," and named a few newspapers and journalists. "Some journalists and people want to destroy Real Madrid," he said. "I'll always defend the interest of the Madrid members."

Pérez did not spend much time on the team's performances. He said his appearance was solely to defend club members from attacks. When asked about the possibility of José Mourinho returning as coach next season, he declined to discuss a potential coaching change.

He did, however, address the frustration of a trophy-less season. "I share the frustration that this year we haven't been able to win anything," he said. "I am the first to want to win everything. Let me remind you that, under my presidency, we have won 66 titles in soccer and basketball: 37 in soccer and 29 in basketball."

One particular incident seemed to have gotten under his skin. Last week, a training ground fight between players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni was leaked to the media. Both players were fined €500,000 each. Pérez said the leak itself was worse than the fight. "It's not the first time that players fight with each other," he said. "It happens almost every season. But someone leaked it for the first time. And we know who it was. It should have stayed within the club."

Pérez also dismissed rumours that he was tired of the job or sick, saying his detractors had spread those claims. "They said I have cancer and that it was terminal," he said. "It was the most undignified thing that has ever happened to me. They said I didn't go out, that I couldn't walk."

Pérez is a highly successful construction sector businessman now in his seventh term across two different stints as Madrid president. His current term would run until 2029. "I want to assure those who are concerned about me that I continue to preside over Real Madrid and my company every single day," he said.

At the end of the more-than-hour-long session, he seemed almost reluctant to leave. "I could stay here all afternoon," he said. "I had a really good time."

Then he pivoted to Barcelona. Pérez announced that he will take "an important dossier" to UEFA about Madrid's arch-rival and the so-called Negreira case. Barcelona has been under scrutiny for making millions of euros in payments to a company owned by José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish football's refereeing committee. Barcelona has consistently denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, stating that it paid for technical reports on referees but never tried to influence their decisions. Negreira has also denied any wrongdoing.

Pérez offered his own characterisation. "Three years ago, we learned about a corruption case known as the Negreira Case," he said. "There are no precedents in the history of world soccer. It is the biggest scandal in history and a case that remains unresolved and ongoing. We are compiling an important dossier that we will immediately present to UEFA so they can address it at its root and resolve it for the good of world soccer."

So, to sum up: Pérez is not sick, not tired, not stepping down, and definitely not amused. He is, however, willing to stay all afternoon if anyone has more questions. And he has a folder for UEFA.