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Florentino Pérez's remarkable press conference earlier this month may have significant consequences, with Spain's referees union filing a formal complaint against the Real Madrid president.
Last Tuesday, two days after Madrid officially surrendered the title to Barcelona, Pérez convened an "emergency" press conference, during which he shifted attention away from the club's struggles by launching an attack on officiating standards in La Liga.
During his rare media Q&A session, Pérez claimed that "seven league titles were stolen" from Madrid and alleged "systemic corruption" in connection with the Negreira case, in what became a chaotic and frequently surreal hour-long event.
The Negreira case is an active investigation centered on payments made by Barcelona between 2001 and 2018 to a company belonging to a former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), José María Enríquez Negreira. Negreira has denied accepting bribes to sway refereeing decisions.
Pérez drew widespread criticism for his outburst, with Barcelona reportedly "carefully reviewing" the 79-year-old's statements to assess whether the corruption allegations could serve as grounds for legal action.
Now, AESAF (the Spanish Association of Referees) has formally submitted a complaint against Pérez to the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) Disciplinary Committee.
Their statement contends that Pérez's allegations of corruption and bias within Spanish refereeing "cannot be justified under the legitimate exercise of freedom of expression nor of sports criticism, given that Mr Perez does not limit himself to pointing out specific refereeing errors but attributes to the refereeing body the perpetration of a continued crime of corruption during two decades."
What Punishments Could Pérez Face?
According to Mundo Deportivo, Pérez faces two possible outcomes should AESAF's complaint be upheld by the RFEF.
In the most severe scenario, he could face a fine alongside a suspension ranging from one month to two years, under the disciplinary code's Article 94, which addresses public conduct that undermines sporting dignity and decorum.
However, the more probable outcome, it is suggested, would be a fine capped at the modest-sounding maximum of €3,005.06 (approximately $3,500), under Article 106 concerning "Statements through any medium regarding members of the refereeing body or members of the regulatory guarantee bodies."
Whether Pérez remains in an official capacity at Real Madrid long enough for any meaningful punishment to take effect is another question entirely, given that he also called for presidential elections during his press conference.
Elections Loom
Following two deeply disappointing seasons without a major trophy, Pérez's standing at the helm of Madrid has come under growing scrutiny.
Despite having three years remaining on his current term, Pérez has called for early presidential elections, choosing to seek a fresh mandate and consolidate his authority over any potential challengers.
For the current cycle, prospective candidates have until May 23 to submit their applications, after which the electoral commission will evaluate them, leading into a brief campaign period and a vote among the club's membership.
Pérez has frequently run unopposed in past elections. This time, however, he is anticipated to encounter at least some degree of opposition.
While no official challenger has yet formally entered the race, businessman and Real Madrid member Enrique Riquelme—previously named by Pérez himself as a potential rival—has signaled that he is weighing his options, saying he will "decide in the next few days whether to accept the challenge."