Florentino Perez hits out at Spanish press – “They’ve overused the ‘let’s see if I leave’ mentality” | OneFootball

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez called an emergency press conference today, during which he made the announcement that he will be calling for new club elections.

At the same time, the 79-year-old businessman voiced his concerns about how the Spanish press has been portraying the club in a negative light.

Apart from some disturbing rumours about him being diagnosed with cancer, which Perez dismissed, there were reports that he was ‘tired’ and questions about his future as president were being raised after a poor season on the field.

Responding to all of that, Perez said: “I don’t understand the Spanish press. They’ve overused the ‘let’s see if I leave’ mentality. I’m not going to leave. I’ll be the last member to leave. The members are the owners of Real Madrid.

“If someone wants to run for president, they shouldn’t just threaten, they should actually run and explain how they’ll finance it. They shouldn’t be asking the banks if the president of an electricity company can guarantee a candidacy…”

Recollecting how he helped the team in a difficult position back in 2000, he added: “In 2000, I guaranteed 174 million pesetas so the players could get paid. They weren’t paying the players.

“The players weren’t getting paid, and Bodo Ilgner ‘s wife came to ask me for money. Roberto Carlos, who’s still around, too… I had to contribute that money from my own pocket, and today Real Madrid are in a very healthy financial position.”

Talking about the team’s success and expressing his disappointment about the media criticism, Perez further noted:

“It’s the club with the most titles in the history of the world. The most valuable club according to Forbes . The most valuable brand. Why do journalists who criticize the most prestigious club with the most fans in the world want to interfere?

It’s an asset for everyone. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve been voted the best president in history. We have the highest-valued squad according to Transfermarkt. We have it all.”

Florentino Perez lashed out the Spanish media. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Perez, in particular, pointed fingers at ABC, who had reported earlier today that the Real Madrid president had confided to someone close that he was ‘very tired’ right after the press conference announcement was made.

“It’s an organized campaign. Vocento owns ABC and created Relevo. Along with La Liga, they set about producing a digital newspaper that lost €25 million during its existence.

When La Liga stopped paying, they went to Telefónica and then to Telecinco to see if they would pay. Their sole aim was to attack Real Madrid and its president, Florentino Perez. Nobody bought it, nobody bought it, and it caused a schism there.”

Continuing, Perez announced that he was cancelling his subscription of ABC before launching another attack on the media outlet, saying:

“Nobody should expect me to sit idly by, that I’m tired, according to ABC. ABC is a Madrid newspaper, and Real Madrid is the club of the world. I mention ABC because I’m angry about this, but I could say the same about others.

“I preside over a very important company worldwide, with a turnover of 50 billion and 170,000 employees. Why is ABC doing this? Did they see me looking tired here? Starting tomorrow, I’m going to fight with all the shareholders to prevent them from taking ownership.

“Where did I come from that I have cancer? And I didn’t even know… If they want me to leave, I’ll leave when someone like the current one comes along and beats me in the elections. If they win the elections, thank God.

“The company belongs to the shareholders, not to a few journalists who I suppose are Atletico Madrid fans.”

Source: AS