On May 12, Tomas Roncero, deputy editor-in-chief of AS, discussed Florentino Perez’s press conference and the announcement of the presidential election on SER Radio’s program El Larguero.
Florentino Perez’s press conference at Valdebebas on Tuesday has become a historic moment for Real Madrid. Whether it will be remembered as a glorious chapter or a regrettable one remains to be seen, but reactions from within the club have already emerged. Understandably, the Real Madrid president pointed fingers at all those he considers enemies of the club, accusing them of a long-standing smear campaign against him and the institution.
During El Larguero, SER Radio journalists spoke with Roncero about the hour-long, explosive press conference, analyzing the true intentions behind Perez’s bold move.
Roncero stated that upon hearing about the press conference, he immediately suspected the president would announce details about the club’s presidential election. “The topic could not be about the coach or Mourinho, as Benfica’s fate is still uncertain… I only saw two possibilities: either he resigns, which would be unusual given his achievements, making him the only president to step down twice; or he announces the start of the election and his candidacy for re-election,” he said.
In Roncero’s view, Florentino Perez is currently at his lowest point of prestige and weakest phase of his presidency, partly due to the team’s sporting struggles. He has only two paths left: either crumble under the fans’ whistles on Thursday or take the initiative by announcing the election, challenging anyone who dares to run against him.
Roncero admitted he welcomes the democratic election after nearly 20 years, as a victory would allow Florentino Perez to prove he remains the most beloved president among members.
However, the deputy editor disagreed with Perez’s ongoing fierce attacks on the media and some reporters at the scene. Yet, he endorsed Perez’s stance on the Negreira case. “This has been my view for a long time, and he explained it clearly. Like many Real Madrid fans, he believes that up to seven La Liga titles were ‘stolen’ from the club,” Roncero said.
Therefore, Roncero believes that despite Perez engaging in multiple battles with questionable decisions, he aims to prove he is not as weak as outsiders think.
Addressing these disputes, Roncero acknowledged that Real Madrid has been involved in many narrative battles in recent years, though “some fights are justified.” He also issued a warning: “But the fact is, once you declare all-out war, you must have winning cards; if you lose, Real Madrid’s situation will become even more difficult.”
Roncero concluded that the 79-year-old president’s move was an unreserved declaration of all-out war. Announcing the election was a “brave act,” as he reminded, “A secret ballot election could bring unexpected results.”
“But Florentino knows this well; he has experienced both victory and defeat,” Roncero summarized.
