Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has repeatedly stated that he will not comment on the club’s sporting performance this season. He has stayed true to his word, avoiding questions about the future of the coach and sensitive player transfers. He refuses to speculate on the manager’s fate or potential signings, insisting that discussing this “blank season” is pointless.
However, Perez did break his silence regarding an internal altercation between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde days ago. Addressing the incident, the president downplayed the severity of the clash and the subsequent media exposure.
“I think conflicts are bad, but what’s worse is that someone leaked it to the public,” Perez said. “I’ve been here for 26 years, and I don’t recall a single year without two or four players clashing. But leaking it from inside the club is very harmful. In all my years in charge, conflicts have occurred every season. Like all young people, they kick each other, then remain good friends.” He spoke in a remarkably casual tone.
The lengthy press conference also touched on past conflicts involving Álvaro Arbeloa in the dressing room. Once again, Perez defended the players while strongly condemning the leaks beyond the Santiago Bernabéu. “The media must analyze facts objectively, but don’t claim Real Madrid is in chaos just because two players had a dispute. They fight every year—actually, every day. And these issues are resolved internally. If someone within the club leaks it, that’s far worse than the argument itself. By the way, they are two excellent young men, very good people. Such leaks are terrible; they can destroy Real Madrid and cannot be tolerated… Well, I’ve tolerated it for over 20 years, and nothing has happened,” he added.
The club’s top management admitted that the leak issue is a major concern. “To me, information leaks are worse because they indicate other problems beyond the conflict itself. The next day, those players are still friends and go for coffee together. This is the first time in 26 years I’ve seen such a situation. It worries me,” he concluded.
