Florentino Pérez doubles down: ‘Barçelona would do very well to sue me’

Florentino Perez, President of Real Madrid, speaks during a press conference announcing that he will call elections for the presidency of Real Madrid at Ciudad Real Madrid on May 12, 2026, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images Speaking on laSexta Wednesday night, Real Madrid President Pérez refused to back down from the aggressive claims he made during Tuesday’s press conference which implied that FC Barcelona was cheating in league trophy wins. When confronted with the fact that Barça is legally reviewing his recent accusations, Pérez didn’t flinch.

“Barça would do very well to sue me. If they think they have to do it, let them do it,” he said. However, he did try to soften his earlier claim about referees “enriching themselves,” calling it a figure of speech.

The crux of Pérez’s argument is the so-called Negreira case. Barcelona has admitted to paying a the VP of the Technical Committee of Referees (José María Enríquez Negreira) in the past, causing a firestorm of legal trouble. It’s an ongoing court case where the truth is murky at the moment.

No public evidence has proven that referees were bribed or influenced by the payments – but the club has not been exonerated of the charge, either. Despite Barça’s insistence that the payments were for legitimate technical reports, Pérez alleged those reports were a cover “to fight against Madrid, with reports that do not exist. ” Before this latest interview aired, Barça vice president Rafa Yuste had already labeled Pérez’s behavior as “pathetic and full of falsehoods.