Florentino Perez made one thing very clear during the launch of his latest presidential campaign: he has no intention of approaching this election quietly.
The Real Madrid president used his public appearance not only to defend his record but also to aggressively confront the growing opposition forming around rival candidate Enrique Riquelme.
What could have been a calm institutional presentation turned into a political counterattack aimed directly at those attempting to challenge his leadership.
Perez on the attack
From the beginning of the speech, Perez positioned himself as the protector of Real Madrid’s current structure, repeatedly emphasising the club’s financial stability and warning members about what he believes could become a dangerous shift in the institution’s future identity.
According to the president, the decision to bring forward elections was heavily influenced by what he described as an organised campaign against the club and its current administration.
During his speech, Perez linked the rival movement to figures connected with former president Ramon Calderon’s controversial era.
“Now that there is an alternative candidate for the Real Madrid elections, we understand everything,” Perez said.
“We know that this campaign is being led by the very same people who were behind the darkest period in Real Madrid’s history, the Ramón Calderón era.
“They are the same people who were on that board of directors, the same people who, at a general meeting, stole the members’ sovereignty, the same people who brought in many people who were not Real Madrid members to vote.
“Now their children, brothers in law and executives are standing… They are not coming to serve Real Madrid; they are coming to use Real Madrid for their own ends.”
Focus on power, stability and future
Beyond attacking the opposition, Perez also dedicated a large part of his speech to reinforcing the image of Real Madrid as a global financial and technological powerhouse under his leadership.
The president proudly pointed towards the club’s economic position and international reputation while defending the direction the institution has taken in recent years.
He stated that Real Madrid “is the richest club in the world” and added that the club’s organisational structure “is studied at Harvard”.
Tougher measures against ticket resale
Lastly, Perez promised tougher measures against illegal ticket resale, insisting that confiscated season tickets would instead be redistributed to ordinary supporters.
“We are fighting against resale. We are going to make them available to non season ticket holders,” he added.
The bottom line
Perez is not going quietly. He’s going for the jugular.
The rival candidate? Linked to the “darkest period” in Real Madrid’s history. His people? Accused of using the club for their own ends.
This is not a campaign about policies. It’s a campaign about loyalty, fear and the legacy of the man who has defined modern Real Madrid.
Perez is fighting for his political life. And he’s not holding back.
