The hostility between Real Madrid and Barcelona has reached a new high when Florentino Perez delivered another ferocious attack related to the continuing Negreira scandal.
Just hours after his spectacular press conference, Perez went for a lengthy interview with Josep Pedrerol, in which he kept the same harsh tone that had already provoked widespread outrage in Spanish football.
One of the most talked-about aspects of his last visit was his harsh criticism of referees in Spain, as well as Barcelona’s historical payments to former refereeing vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
Response to Barcelona
Following his incendiary press conference, it was revealed that Barcelona is carefully reviewing his words and deciding whether to take legal action against Real Madrid president.
However, rather than backing down, Perez publicly challenged the Catalan club during the interview.
“Barça should sue me. Allow them to do what they believe is right.”
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Perez then continued to defend Real Madrid’s position in the Negreira case, insisting that the club sees itself as the primary sufferer in the entire scenario.
“I learned about the Negreira case three years ago. It wasn’t Madrid who discovered it, but the tax officials, who saw something unusual.
“Real Madrid is the first to identify itself as the injured party; LaLiga follows in without hesitation; it is Madrid’s partner and antagonist.
“And the Referees’ Committee said we should just forget about it,” Florentino maintained.
Requesting assistance from UEFA.
The Real Madrid president also stated that the club intends to submit their evidence to UEFA, claiming that he has previously addressed the topic with UEFA head Aleksander Ceferin.
“We will submit all of our documents from these years to UEFA. Ceferin has assured me that’s acceptable, and we’re within our rights.
“It’s paperwork from the years they paid and those they claim they didn’t, yet the same referees keep officiating.
“It demonstrates all of the points they have openly taken away from us. This year, about 16 to 17 points.”
Perez further confessed that the scandal has caused Real Madrid and Barcelona’s relationship to crumble totally.
“Our connection with Barça is utterly ruined. When I learned about this, I didn’t want to do business with a team that had been paying referees for two decades.
“We are the ones who have been wronged.”
Before the interview concluded, Perez was asked about Lamine Yamal. While complimenting the youth, he also brought up the ongoing rivalry between the two clubs.
“I like him a lot, but now all that’s left is for us to go after him, given the state of relations with Barça.'”
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