Roncero, deputy editor-in-chief of *AS*, shared his thoughts on Florentino Pérez’s recent press conference and the decision to trigger the Real Madrid presidential election process during an interview on Cadena SER. He expressed a desire to see a genuine democratic contest, hoping someone would step forward to challenge the incumbent.
“I knew it couldn’t be about Mourinho or the coach,” Roncero said. “With a crucial game coming up, that didn’t make sense. I thought of two possibilities: either a repeat of his resignation 20 years ago, but that didn’t fit his character, given everything he had built. The other was that he would call early elections and run himself. That turned out to be correct.”
Roncero acknowledged that Florentino is currently in his weakest moment of this second term, with two years without a title and mounting criticism. “He had two options: keep being weakened and weather the storm, or do what he did—lay the cards on the table and say, ‘If you think I’m afraid, let’s have an election. I’m here to fight.’”
He also stressed the importance of having a real opponent. “It would be good for democracy. Florentino has always participated, but no one has stepped up. I know there are wealthy, true Madridistas out there. I hope someone stands, because if Florentino wins anyway, he can say, ‘See, I still have the respect and support of the members.’”
Regarding the media aspect, Roncero said he would have preferred a more personal resolution to conflicts rather than a public spectacle. “I understand why he did it, but as a journalist, I’m not a fan of that part.”
However, on the Negreira case, Roncero was unequivocal. “I agree with him. That’s what I’ve been saying all along. He cut the crap and said it plainly: according to our calculations, I believe they stole seven La Liga titles from us. That’s exactly what needed to be said. Many Madrid fans think the same way. In that sense, he connected with the base. Overall, he opened several fronts—some will think parts were inappropriate, but the key message is that he’s not as weak as people think.”
