Florentino Perez has officially announced that he will stand for reelection as president of Real Madrid, insisting he has no intention of resigning despite growing criticism following another trophyless season.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, the 79-year-old dismissed speculation about stepping aside.
“I am not going to resign,” Perez declared.
The announcement comes after a disappointing campaign for Madrid, which finished the season without a major trophy for the second consecutive year.
Barcelona secured the La Liga title after defeating Madrid 2-0 in El Clásico at Camp Nou. At the same time, Real were also eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Bayern Munich.
Perez argued that recent criticism of his leadership is part of a broader campaign against the club.
“I’ve made this decision because an absurd situation has been created to generate a tide of opinion against the interests of Real Madrid,” he said.
“I want to put an end to this anti Madrid current that wants to destroy Real Madrid.”
The veteran president also challenged potential rivals who are considering contesting the elections.
“If anyone wants to run, they shouldn’t just pretend — let them run, but let them say what they’re going to do and how they’re going to finance everything,” he stated.
Perez admitted frustration over the club’s performances this season, including internal tensions within the squad.
He described the recent altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni as damaging, particularly because details became public.
“I think it is very bad and I think it’s even worse that it was made public,” he said.
Both players were reportedly fined €500,000 following the incident.
Perez also confirmed that he and his legal team are preparing a massive dossier to submit to UEFA concerning allegations of corruption in Spanish refereeing.
“It’s the most serious case of corruption in football,” he claimed.
The remarks come amid continuing investigations into payments made by Barcelona to former Spanish referee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, allegations the Catalan club has consistently denied.
Meanwhile, uncertainty also remains around Real Madrid’s coaching future.
Current manager Alvaro Arbeloa is reportedly unlikely to continue next season, while former coach Jose Mourinho has again been linked with a possible return to the club.
