Florentino Pérez Accuses Media of Orchestrated Campaign After Controversial Press Conference

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has doubled down on his defiant stance following a controversial press conference on Tuesday, May 12, where he accused Spanish media outlets of orchestrating a campaign to unseat him and called for new club elections. In a follow-up interview with journalist Josep Pedrerol on Wednesday, Pérez rejected criticism of his remarks—including a disputed comment about a Fox Sports journalist—and insisted he remains unapologetic for his confrontational approach.

Pérez, who has led Real Madrid since 2009, framed his responses as a reaction to what he described as a coordinated effort to undermine his leadership. “I am tired of destabilization,” he told Pedrerol on LaSexta. “They want to devalue what we have achieved. Last year, we won two titles—does that not count anymore? They want to influence Real Madrid, and yesterday [Tuesday] was the image of someone who is fed up with hearing these things.”

During Tuesday’s press conference, Pérez made headlines after referring to a Fox Sports journalist as “esta niña” (Spanish for “this girl”), a phrase critics condemned as patronizing. When pressed about the remark in Wednesday’s interview, Pérez dismissed the backlash, arguing that the journalist had been waiting for an extended period to ask a question and that his comment was not intended as an insult. “She explained it herself—she has nothing against me,” Pérez said. “The poor woman was raising her hand, and the person who should have given her the floor didn’t. Is calling someone ‘esta niña’ considered derogatory? We’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Pérez also defended his earlier remark about a journalist from ABC, whom he accused of “not knowing about football.” He clarified that the journalist in question was not a sports reporter but a general news contributor, though he acknowledged that the comment had been misinterpreted. “Those writing about me were sports journalists—I know them all,” he said. “What I meant was that this journalist does not usually write about football. But the issue is that they’re all against me.”

His interview reinforced his broader narrative of a media conspiracy targeting Real Madrid. Pérez accused unnamed journalists of “creating an environment we cannot tolerate” and claimed that some outlets, including ABC, were “personally attacking” him as part of a larger effort to “steal control of the club from its members.” He reiterated his call for new elections, stating, “As I am not the owner, I have proposed elections so that whoever wants to can run. Why should we live through this?”

Pérez’s remarks came amid ongoing tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona, with the Real Madrid president alleging systemic corruption in the Catalan club’s handling of referees during the tenure of former Barcelona president Joan Laporta. He hinted at presenting a new report to UEFA, claiming it would “prove a systematic corruption” that had cost Real Madrid potential titles. “I’ve won seven Champions Leagues and seven La Liga titles, but I should have won 14—the others were stolen,” Pérez asserted.

In a direct response to criticism from Spain’s former Equality Minister, Irene Montero, who condemned his language as sexist, Pérez remained defiant. He also announced he would cancel his ABC subscription—a newspaper his father had subscribed to for years—describing it as part of a “conspiracy by bad journalists against Real Madrid.”

Despite the controversy, Pérez expressed no regret for his actions. “I have received nothing but messages of congratulations,” he claimed, adding that he was focused on securing more European Cup victories. He also dismissed reports suggesting he was unwell, insisting, “If I’m tired, it’s from working. What they want to convey is that I’m exhausted, that I’m sick. It’s very difficult to live with these lies and these media outlets spreading them.”

The fallout from Pérez’s statements has reignited debates about media ethics and the role of sports journalism in Spain. While some supporters have rallied behind his defiance, critics—including former government officials and women’s rights advocates—have condemned his language as reflective of broader gender and power dynamics in Spanish football. The episode has also underscored the deep divisions within Spanish football, where Real Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona often extends beyond the pitch into political and media spheres.

As of Wednesday, Pérez’s call for new elections remains the next major development in the saga, with no immediate indication of when or how the process will unfold. His refusal to back down suggests the controversy is far from resolved, leaving Real Madrid’s future leadership—and the media’s role in shaping it—hanging in the balance.