Florentino Perez, this Sunday during the Real Madrid delegates’ meeting AFP7 via Europa Press (AFP7 via Europa Press)
Pending an opinion from the European judiciary on the Super League, the defense of the project has monopolized the most prominent part of Florentino Pérez’s speech before this Sunday’s gathering of Real Madrid delegates. The white president persisted in his arguments to call for the need for change in a football business he argued was “in decline” and “sick”. Young people, he repeated, are turning away from the sport because of the many trivial games it offers. PSG and LaLiga also appeared in their attacks.
“It’s a trend that needs to be reversed before it’s too late. The new generations focus on other types of entertainment, on online platforms, video games, networks and even other sports. You demand a quality product. European competitions must feature matches between the strongest teams throughout the year. Why is football not that organized?
Beyond the general theses already known, Pérez used tennis to underline his proposal. “Nadal and Federer have played 40 times in 15 years. Is that boring? These matchups have boosted the sport of tennis as a whole. We’ve only met Liverpool nine times in 67 years. If tennis had been organized by UEFA, we would hardly have seen two or three matches between Nadal and Federer,” warned the top merengue president, who continued his mandate to continental football’s highest body.
“UEFA is pushing Champions League reforms in the opposite direction, increasing the number of inconsequential games. His new model will serve to hasten the decline,” he warned amid a conflict that must be brought to justice. The Court of Justice of the European Union is expected to give a ruling between the end of this year and early next year and give its opinion on whether UEFA has any exclusivity in organizing competitions, something Real Madrid are the main promoter and are fighting against Super League ideologue. The decision will not be binding, but it will be important in the battle between the two blocs.
Referring to the major criticism of the Superliga – the largely closed nature of the tournament, with many teams with fixed places and only a small part destined for smaller teams but which have reaped sporting merits – Florentino Pérez pointed out that the Format is subject to debate and that “this cannot be an obstacle to confronting the problems of European football”.
the American model
Two darts were also missing in his speech (without citing them explicitly), PSG, an old friend and now a frontal opponent in Florentino Pérez’ claims with the new tournament in which only Barcelona, Juventus and Madrid actively continue . “They are not discussing the decline of this sport and they want us to accept the abuses of certain clubs with financial fair play,” he said in reference to the Paris team, before starting the sentence that drew applause from members who have always been in that direction were close. “Recently the president of the ECA (European Club Association; referring to Nasser Al-Khelaifi; also the visible boss of PSG) said that Real Madrid are afraid of competition. Just like he needs to be reminded of who Real Madrid is,” he released to the benefit of those present.
And from PSG to LaLiga chaired by Javier Tebas, another of his rivals. “How can it be celebrated as a success to sell TV rights in the context of inflation for the same amount as four years ago? The number of subscribers has fallen by almost 40% since 2016-17. And to compensate, prices are going up. The solution is to ask more of the few that follow,” criticized Pérez, who again criticized the agreement with the CVC investment fund, another point that has led the courts to adopt a common front with Barcelona and Athletic have closed.
In his opinion, Europe should pay more attention to the American model. “If we add up the television rights per season of the Champions League, the Europa League and the five major European leagues, the sum is less than that of the NFL (Baseball League). It is only played between September and February; 275 games in total and we more than 2,000. You will do something right in the United States and we in Europe will do something wrong,” he concluded.
economic situation
Delegates overwhelmingly approved the accounts for the 2021/22 season and the budget for 2022/23 (only five votes between abstentions and no, compared to almost 1,700 supporters). According to what was presented in the assembly, Madrid made some gains in the previous campaign of 12.9 million; cash on hand was 425 million; and the fortune in 546 (figures omitting the works of the Bernabéu). The profit result was influenced by the club’s discounting of future income from the contract with Legends and Sixth Street to operate the future stadium as a performance and leisure venue. The pact is valid for 20 years and for 360 million.
For the course that has just started, there is an income forecast of 770 million in the white household. That’s 48 more than last season, although it’s still 6% down from 2019-20, the last before the pandemic.
Stadion
Florentino Pérez confirmed that the works are expected to be completed next summer. At the moment the club has invested 538 million and has already sold the 800 million loan (divided into two: one of 575 and another of 225 for the greenhouse built on the ground floor). “We will not change the name of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. If you want my name, I’ll tell you where,” the white president said before requests from one of the delegates, who took the floor.
Paul Laso
Before the start of the Super League, the President gave a detailed review of the club’s sporting situation. Arriving at basketball, he dedicated a few words to the team’s former coach Pablo Laso: Thanks and also briefly. “I want to have a very special mention for whoever has been the leader of this winning team for the past 11 seasons. I have only words of affection, admiration, recognition and gratitude for a legend of Real Madrid and European basketball like Pablo Laso,” he said tersely to the applause of everyone. The company terminated the contract of the coach from Vitoria at the end of last season, after suffering a heart attack the day after a playoff game.Madrid claimed Laso’s health reasons had cut him off the contract while providing medical reports that allowed him to return to the bench.
other points
The assembly approved an amendment to Article 40 of the club’s statutes to align with the Sports Act, which no longer stipulates the 15% guarantee as mandatory for candidacy. However, Madrid will continue to demand this and target private wealth. In addition, after the death of Francisco Gento, Amancio Amaro was appointed the new Honorary President; and the club took over the RSC Internacional, which will become Real Madrid C, which disappeared a few years ago.
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