Spanish League President Javier Tebas asked former police commissioner Jose Manuel Villarejo to provide evidence of the involvement of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in bribing referees in previous years.
Villarejo sparked a new crisis in Spanish football today, after he made statements in which he said that Perez – like other club presidents – was involved in bribing referees, but the matter was covered up, unlike what happened with its rival Barcelona.
Villarejo appeared in a radio interview with the Spanish “RAC 1” station, in which he spoke about former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell and other club presidents who tried to “buy the referees.”
Hey, the excomisario Villarejo said to Real Madrid that he was born to his parents: “It’s impossible to try it on something that affects Don Florentino Pérez. Sería un suicida el que se atreva acerlo. “It can come to you in the future.” pic.twitter.com/LVGIrILXyj
— Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) October 3, 2023
In response to the broadcaster’s question about Florentino Perez, Villarejo replied, “In fact, he discovered the same thing, but the matter was covered up. No one can harm Perez.” “He is an untouchable person, so nothing happened.”
Villarejo also stressed the strength of the relationship between Perez and former Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, which gave the “royalist” president a lot of power and made him an “untouchable” person, according to Villarejo’s statements.
Commenting on these statements, Tebas said – according to the Spanish newspaper “Sport” – that “Villarejo talked about two things, the first of which is that Florentino bribed the referees, and the second is that he cannot be touched, with regard to the first part, if he has evidence, let him present it.”
He added, “As for the second part of his speech, it is true. “Rubalcaba told Villarejo this and I believe him, because everyone knows that this is the truth. Rubalcaba was a friend of Florentino and this is what I know.”
🚨 Javier Tebas ‘confirmed’ that Florentino Pérez is “intocable” in Spain
🗣️ “What Florentino is into the room, I love it.” It’s ‘popular’ in this país” https://t.co/xQvH4S7g0T
— Diario SPORT (@sport) October 3, 2023
Real Madrid was quick to respond to the accusations made by Villarejo to its president, declaring that it would deal with this file legally and judicially.
Real Madrid published a statement on its official website in which it confirmed that it would sue Villarejo, after his recent statements sparked widespread controversy.
The “Royal” club said in its statement that “Perez gave his instructions to file a legal case against former Commissioner Villarejo due to the false accusations he made.”
Comunicado Official. #RealMadrid
— Real Madrid CF (@realmadrid) October 3, 2023
These developments come in the midst of Real Madrid’s preparations to face Italian League champion Napoli – this evening – at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for the second round of the third group of the Champions League competition.
