'I'm not going anywhere' - furious Real president Perez calls for elections
He sacked Xabi Alonso in January after appointing him as head coach, while his replacement Alvaro Arbeloa is unlikely to be retained. Madrid will finish the season without a major trophy for the second year in a row, having only won the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Intercontinental Trophy in 2024-25. They exited this season's Champions League against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, while their campaign has been marred by fan unrest, with a campaign run against star forward Kylian Mbappe's perceived lack of effort.
Meanwhile, midfielder Federico Valverde went to hospital last month after a dressing room row with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni. This was no ordinary meeting at Real Madrid's training ground. Journalists were summoned at short notice, and speculation immediately began.
An announcement regarding a new manager seemed the most logical explanation, especially given what sources close to the club had suggested. But if that were the case, why deliver it in person and by Florentino Perez himself? Like the Xabi Alonso or Alvaro Arbeloa appointments, such news is typically released in an official statement, followed by an organised press conference.
Instead, what followed was something entirely different. As Perez entered the room, phone in hand, papers laid out beside him, he launched into a lengthy and impassioned tirade. His targets: the press, the league, and the narratives surrounding both him and the club.
It was a side of Perez few had seen in years: animated, confrontational and full of energy. At several points, he pulled out his phone and read aloud excerpts from critical articles, directly naming and calling out newspapers. Journalists in the room who were singled out didn't stay silent, they pushed back.