Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has declared that the once-fierce but respectful rivalry with Barcelona is now “completely broken.”
Speaking in a no-holds-barred interview with La Sexta after Real Madrid’s 2-0 El Clasico loss — a result that handed Barcelona back-to-back La Liga titles — Perez did not mince his words. He accused Barcelona of systemic corruption linked to the long-running Negreira case, in which the Catalan club allegedly paid former refereeing vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira for nearly 20 years.
“I do not want to have a relationship with a club that has paid referees for two decades,” Perez said. “It is the biggest case of corruption in football. Real Madrid is the only one that has appeared as a party in this matter, while La Liga says nothing.”
The Real Madrid chief revealed that the club has prepared 500 pages of documentation detailing points allegedly taken away unfairly and plans to present everything to UEFA. He also challenged Barcelona to sue him if they wish, insisting Madrid was the first victim in the case.
Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste hit back, calling Perez’s comments “pathetic” and an attempt to cover up Real Madrid’s recent sporting struggles.
The war of words has further soured what was already one of football’s most intense rivalries.
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