Tension in the box: Florentino threatened to leave over Riquelme | OneFootball

The derby between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid did not only leave tension on the pitch. According to information reported by COPE, there was also a moment of maximum tension in the VIP box at the Metropolitano due to the presence of Enrique Riquelme, former candidate for the presidency of the Madrid club.

According to the account shared by Paco González on ‘Tiempo de Juego’ and later explained by Juanma Castaño, Florentino Pérez was at the pre-match lunch between the directors of both clubs when he was informed that Riquelme had been invited to the presidential box at Atlético’s stadium.

The report says the news caused strong anger in the Real Madrid president, who allegedly even considered leaving the stadium if he had to cross paths with the businessman.

Florentino allegedly threatened to leave

According to the version reported on the COPE program, when Florentino learned of Riquelme’s presence, he reacted angrily and allegedly said he would leave the Metropolitano if he ran into the former candidate.

In the end, again according to this version, he was persuaded to remain at the stadium and watch the derby. However, his discomfort allegedly continued in the build-up to the match.

The situation is especially striking given the context between the two. Riquelme was Florentino’s rival in the Real Madrid presidential election held in June 2026.

A rivalry that is making noise again

Riquelme’s presence in the Metropolitano’s VIP box takes on greater significance after an election campaign marked by the clash between both projects.

In statements made during that period, Florentino even claimed that he did not know Riquelme and argued that any candidate should be able to run in the club’s elections.

Now, the version reported after the derby once again puts both names at the center of the conversation surrounding Real Madrid.

In addition, the episode took place on an especially difficult night for Los Blancos, who lost 2-1 to Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitano.

“It gives Riquelme power”

After recounting what happened, the COPE panel discussion focused precisely on the impact that situations like this can have for Riquelme.

The view expressed during the program was that this kind of reaction ends up giving the former candidate greater prominence and keeps him present within the Real Madrid orbit.

For now, the account of what happened in the VIP box comes from information reported by COPE, and there has been no public confirmation from Florentino Pérez or Real Madrid regarding the episode.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.