Florentino: Barça withdrew lawsuit to CVC after player registrations

Florentino Pérez opened Sunday's General Assembly of Delegate Members to review the situation at Real Madrid.

But his unprecedented attack on La Liga, Tebas, UEFA, Barcelona over the Negreira case, and the refereeing system overshadowed everything else. The president was accustomed to criticizing all these bodies at the Assembly, but he had never been so harsh. In fact, his speech lasted an hour and 18 minutes and received one of the loudest ovations from the members in recent memory.

Injuries and the schedule have been a major problem for the last two seasons:

"We've won 30 titles in fifteen seasons. But we already know the level of expectation at Real Madrid. Last season we competed until the very end, but we have to remember that it was a very tough season due to injuries that prevented us from having Carvajal and Militao available for almost the entire campaign. Or Ceballos, Camavinga, and Mendy, who we lost for a good part of the season. They've played more than 80 games, which is absolutely incredible given an increasingly demanding schedule."

"We've played more than 80 games, and that's an incredible amount of time with an increasingly grueling schedule." 

The dig at UEFA:

"It's not that we're against everything, but we oppose what is illegal or unethical. It's not normal and it's not legal to try to prevent clubs from organizing their own tournaments. It's not normal for UEFA to try to dictate our fate and force us to play competition formats that harm the fans. Nobody can sanction us; clubs are free, as the latest ruling (from the Provincial Court) stated. We have both rights: the right to be compensated for damages in the billions of euros and the right to run our own competition, and I assure you we will exercise both. But keep in mind that UEFA executives are accountable to their voters. For this reason, we are forced to play matches in Asia or near China. It's not normal that in the 21st century, watching football is becoming increasingly expensive."

The dig at La Liga and Tebas:

"It's not normal that the president of La Liga wants to impose a match on us in Miami, something that even Barça captain Frank de Jong doesn't think is normal. And it's also not normal that La Liga supports two teams, Barcelona and Villarreal, receiving extra financial incentives for playing in Miami. And we still have to listen to Tebas comparing the match to the NFL's failed attempt to play in Miami. The NFL game was legal and in accordance with the competition rules, and it also had everyone's support. It's not the same; it didn't even have UEFA's backing. It's nothing more than a failed gamble. And it's not normal that La Liga earns six times more than the Premier League."

The dig at the refereeing system and Barça:

"The level of Spanish refereeing is also unacceptable. It's a disgrace that FIFA didn't select a single one of the 35 Spanish on-field referees. And of course, it's also unacceptable that Barcelona has paid the vice president of the referees' association more than 8 million euros for at least 17 years, whatever the reason. He held important positions, and this period coincides, coincidentally, with Barcelona's best results in our country."

More criticism of Tebas regarding the Legends museum and media funding:

"It's also unacceptable that LaLiga continues to lose millions of euros of our money with the failure of the Legends museum, which serves to justify investment in media. There are media outlets that were created with the sole objective of harming Real Madrid. And it's even more worrying that they do so opaquely. Their president has refused to give us this information."

The agreement with CVC and Barça's change of heart:

"Many clubs have realized that losing part of their income for 50 years will burden their future with the CVC agreement. We expect this agreement to be annulled in court. And Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic have sued them. I must say, and I regret to say, that Barcelona also opposed it, but conveniently dropped the case when they were able to register players thanks to LaLiga."

Madrid will go after La Liga:

"I want to make a few additional comments. Now it's up to them to determine the appropriate responsibilities. The president of LaLiga acted on his own initiative and will have to assume his responsibility. Not to mention the disgrace of how the LaLiga players' protest was handled. We all witnessed LaLiga's shameful censorship. I don't know what was more shameful: the 30-second delay in connecting or hiding behind a 'commitment to peace.' But what peace?"

The anomaly of LaLiga titles with Real Madrid:

But do you think it's normal that many Real Madrid players have more European Cups than league titles? Carvajal is one example. Some have up to six. And the one with the most, five league titles. Most, four. And the same thing happens to me as president. Is it normal? No."

Tebas's inside comment:

Of course, I don't think it's normal that the president of LaLiga is vice president of the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation). And I want to tell you something that wasn't known. The president offered me a position as a member of the Federation. I had to tell him: "You don't know me." Simple as that.

The former ECA (European Confederation of Football Associations) isn't spared either:

"An agreement was sought with UEFA, but it wasn't possible. They urged us to join the ECA. But they require you to waive any right to litigation against UEFA." It would potentially mean giving up billions of euros that we are going to claim."

The controversial refereeing press conference after the Copa del Rey final:

"Real Madrid has been the only club to appear in court for this case. Fran Soto (president of the referees' association) has asked us to move on and forget about it, but how can we do that?"

Xabi's Confidence:

The key is the mix of extraordinary players and young talents, that mix of players who love Real Madrid and are all Madridistas at heart. We've brought in Xabi, who embodies Real Madrid's values, who knows our club because he's won everything. And we've signed great players.

Tribute to Ancelotti, Modric, Lucas, and Vallejo

We've come from a period that will remain in the memory of Real Madrid fans, and I ask you to recognize Ancelotti, the most decorated coach in our history, with fifteen titles. He has earned our affection forever. Also, Modric (Florentino has to stop his speech due to the applause). He already belongs to the heart of Real Madrid, he's an example on and off the field, loved and respected by everyone. He's the most decorated player in our history. Lucas Vázquez is one of our great academy graduates; he has won the hearts of all Madridistas and has been a model of conduct since he arrived at the club. He has become a legend. Finally, I want to thank Jesús Vallejo, who has always helped us. He leaves Madrid with 13 titles.

The youth academy and thanks to Raúl:

"Please allow me a very special mention for Raúl. In 2020, he won the Youth League and has always been a role model for all our young players. Thank you, dear Raúl. We saw how Asensio and Gonzalo reached the top. Gonzalo was the top scorer at the Club World Cup. And eight players made their debut with Real Madrid's first team. And we are proud that eight academy graduates were part of our first team: Carvajal, Asensio, Fran García, Valverde, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Carreras, and Gonzalo."

Women's Football: 

"I want to say a few words about women's football. It's still a young project, having finished second in the league again and among the top eight in Europe. It's led by Pau Quesada, who achieved promotion to the Second Division with Real Madrid C in 2023."

The Bernabéu as an icon and the best way to remain the best:

"We've invested 1.347 billion euros. A week ago, it was showcased to the world with the NFL game, a historic day for Spain and for the Bernabéu. The NFL commissioner even said they had played in the best stadium in the world. With this stadium, Real Madrid is ready to continue being the best club in the world, as it was in the 20th century."

Soundproofing work underway for the return of concerts:

"We are finishing the soundproofing work at the stadium, and it will be completed next December. The Community of Madrid is remodeling the new metro station. It will be one of the most modern stations in Europe. At the same time, we are improving access for people with reduced mobility. It is one of the most sustainable stadiums due to its location."