Real Madrid President accused of flaunting power – ‘Politicians go there to kneel to Florentino Perez’

Originally posted on Football Espana | By Ruairidh Barlow | Last updated 4/16/24

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has come under fire from Podemos MEP candidate and former Minister for Equality Irene Montero, who has claimed that Perez uses the director’s box at the Santiago Bernabeu as public forum to see politicians kiss the proverbial ring.

It has been a regular feature of Real Madrid matches over the time that Perez has been in power to see politicians from the ruling parties in Madrid and Spain sat next to or near the construction magnate. Of late, the Mayor of Madrid Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida was seen at their clash with Manchester City, despite being a self-professed Atletico Madrid fan.

Montero posted the following on her Twitter account.

“The problem with going to the Real Madrid box is not that you like football, it is not even that you are left-wing and a Real Madrid fan, there are many people both from the left and Real Madrid fans.”

“The problem is that the Real Madrid box is an extravagance of Florentino Perez to show that without standing for election, he holds more than any minister. That’s the problem with the box, that you go to the Bernabeu box to kneel to Florentino Perez.”

Al palco de Florentino no vas porque te guste el fútbol, vas a hincar la rodilla ante los que mandan sin presentarse a las elecciones. pic.twitter.com/RcZSws0hXT

— Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) April 13, 2024

“Florentino allows himself the luxury of explaining to all of Spain and all of Euskadi, live and direct, that he is in charge enough to slap the mayor of Madrid and to have seven socialist ministers in his box.”

Perez is the President of Spain’s largest construction conglomerate ACS, and has allegedly been a donor for the Partido Popular, which Martinez-Almeida represents. ACS have also been involved in a series of corruption scandals regarding government contracts, although Perez personally has never been found guilty of any wrongdoing.

The Madrid Government is currently being challenged over a parking project that is near the Santiago Bernabeu, and would allow underground access to the stadium. The company leasing it – Real Madrid Estadio – are projected to make a profit of €500m over 40 years, although two residential groups have claimed that due diligence in the planning permission was not carried out due to environmental concerns.

The post Real Madrid President accused of flaunting power – ‘Politicians go there to kneel to Florentino Perez’ appeared first on Football España.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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