By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has ignited fresh controversy in Spanish football after claiming the club was “robbed” of multiple league titles over the last two decades.
During a fiery press conference at Ciudad Real Madrid following a board meeting, Pérez alleged that officiating controversies and systemic issues within Spanish football prevented the club from winning far more domestic trophies during his presidency.
“Real Madrid has been robbed for the past two decades,” Pérez declared. “I only won seven La Liga titles at Real Madrid? I should’ve won 14. They robbed me of the other seven titles.”
The explosive remarks came amid growing tensions between Real Madrid and Spanish football authorities, with Pérez intensifying his long-running criticism of refereeing standards and La Liga governance.
The Real Madrid chief used the press conference to accuse the Spanish football system of working against the club, while also revisiting the controversial Negreira case involving FC Barcelona.
Pérez described the scandal as “the biggest corruption case in football history,” referring to investigations into payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to former referees’ committee vice-president José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.
Spanish prosecutors continue to investigate the matter, although Barcelona have consistently denied wrongdoing and insisted the payments were for legitimate consultancy services.
The Madrid president’s latest comments are expected to deepen tensions between the country’s two biggest clubs and further inflame debates surrounding officiating in Spanish football.
Pérez has frequently clashed with La Liga president Javier Tebas in recent years over governance, refereeing and the failed European Super League project, with relations between Real Madrid and league authorities deteriorating significantly.
Despite the controversy surrounding his comments, Pérez also confirmed he has no intention of stepping down as club president and instead announced plans to call fresh elections at Real Madrid.
The veteran administrator, who has overseen one of the most successful eras in the club’s history, insisted he remains determined to continue defending Madrid’s interests both on and off the pitch.