The controversial press conference held by Florentino Pérez continues to spark reactions across Spanish football. During the official announcement of the Real Madrid presidential election process, the club president made several statements that did not go unnoticed, especially one regarding FC Barcelona and league titles.

“I only won seven league titles during my presidency; in reality, I won fourteen, the rest were stolen from me,” said Florentino Pérez, immediately igniting controversy in Spain.

The comments from the Real Madrid president caused a strong reaction within the Blaugrana environment, where they were viewed as a direct attack on one of the most successful eras in the history of Barcelona.

Fermín López Fires Back

One of the first to respond was Fermín López. The Barcelona midfielder used his appearance on the podcast Qué T’hi Jugues to answer the Real Madrid president.

“What Florentino Pérez said cannot be true because Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández were playing. It’s impossible that Barcelona stole league titles,” the Spanish footballer said while defending the legacy of the historic generation that dominated Spanish and European football for years.

Fermín López’s response quickly went viral among fans and media outlets, especially because of his mention of three of the greatest idols in the history of the Catalan club that dominated football.

Barcelona Officials Also Respond

The reaction did not only come from the locker room. Rafa Yuste, vice president of Barcelona, also strongly criticized the statements made by the Real Madrid president.

“Florentino Pérez’s statements seemed pathetic and full of falsehoods to me. They make me feel sorry,” the Barcelona executive said, making clear the institutional frustration that currently exists in Catalonia following the comments from the Madrid president.

Tensions between both institutions have been growing for some time. In fact, during the most recent Clásico, Florentino Pérez did not attend either the match or the traditional lunch between club executives, something that was interpreted as another sign of the deteriorating relationship between the two clubs.

Growing Tension Inside Real Madrid

The atmosphere also does not appear to be the best inside Real Madrid itself. During the club’s most recent match at the Santiago Bernabéu, several players were booed, banners against Florentino Pérez appeared in the stands, and the president was even involved in a verbal exchange with a fan.

The press conference delivered messages on multiple fronts and confirmed that Real Madrid is going through one of its most tense moments in recent years, just as the club prepares for a major sporting and institutional restructuring.

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