Real Madrid president says Champions League should be free, hits out on FC Barcelona | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s Ordinary General Meeting turned into far more than a financial discussion, as club president Florentino Perez used his time on stage to launch a series of pointed digs at La Liga, UEFA, and arch-rivals Barcelona. 

The event quickly shifted from routine business to a fiery speech that touched on broadcasting rights, governance, refereeing controversies, and the long-running Negreira scandal.

Perez first shifted attention to what he believes is an unfair system that limits fan access to top-level football. 

He made it clear why Real Madrid continues to push for reform [pointing towards the Super League]. 

He declared, “Fans should be able to watch football for FREE. Thanks to FIFA for understanding this with the Club World Cup. 

“I can only think of one reason why UEFA isn’t doing it, it means another year of huge salaries for them. 

“Just like the La Liga President, who collects a salary bigger than the Premier League President, even though he generates much less profit,” he said, as quoted by The Touchline.

Aim at Javier Tebas

After criticising the governing bodies, Perez then turned to the controversial Miami proposal that originally involved Barcelona and Villarreal playing a league match in the United States, an idea that Real Madrid openly opposed. 

He reminded the room why the club considered the plan unacceptable, saying, “It’s not normal for the president of La Liga to promote a match outside of Spain.”

Florentino Perez launched a severe attack aimed at La Liga and Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

He strengthened his argument by pointing out the reactions of those directly involved, adding, 

“Even Frenkie de Jong doesn’t think it’s normal. And we have to listen to Tebas comparing it to the NFL game. 

“Miami’s proposal is nothing more than another failed initiative by the president of La Liga.”

Perez then questioned the financial arrangements behind the scenes, stating: “It’s not normal La Liga support Barcelona and Villarreal, receiving extra financial incentives for playing in Miami.”

The Negreira case

Finally, Perez closed with one of the most controversial topics in Spanish football – the Negreira case. 

He did not hesitate to connect it to Barcelona’s dominance in previous years, telling members, 

“It is a shame for Spanish football that of the 35 referees selected for the Club World Cup, FIFA did not select any Spanish referee.

“It is not normal for Barcelona to pay the vice-president of the referees more than €8m over 17 years, whatever the reason. It coincides, coincidentally, with Barcelona’s best sporting period,” he noted.