Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is using Barcelona as a distraction

VALDEBEBAS, SPAIN - MAY 12: Florentino Perez attends the Real Madrid Board of Directors meeting held at Ciudad Real Madrid on May 12, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Dennis Agyeman / AFP7 via Getty Images) | Getty Images After a season defined by internal fractures and a lack of silverware, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has taken to the airwaves to shift the narrative, using the Negreira case and alleged media conspiracies as a shield against his own recent mismanagement. The timing of the Real Madrid president’s recent media blitz, including a 40-minute sit-down with Josep Pedrerol on Tuesday, is far from coincidental.

Pérez used the appearance to reopen the Negreira case and target the press, a move that feels like classic “red meat” for a disgruntled fanbase. He’s painting his club as a victim of a grand conspiracy, which is a handy way to dodge questions about why the team is falling apart on the pitch. While the Negreira case remains a serious matter of debate, Pérez is using it to bury the lead: his club is in a state of sporting and institutional decomposition.

The locker room has turned into a powder keg. A physical altercation between Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde (which left the Uruguayan hospitalized) is just the tip of the iceberg. This follows a string of failures.

There was the mid-season dismissal of Xabi Alonso, who came with a huge reputation as a manager, but was dismissed – almost certainly too soon. There were medical staff blunders regarding Kylian Mbappé’s fitness, with doctors reportedly treating the wrong leg. And it cannot be overstated, that at a club like Real Madrid, silverware is the be-all, end all.