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Real Madrid were beaten to the LaLiga title last weekend, losing 2-0 to arch-rivals Barcelona, a result which clinched top spot for the Catalans.
Needless to say, they haven't taken the defeat well.
Florentino Perez goes nuclear in Real Madrid press conference
Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Alonso but looks set to either return to his Real Madrid Castilla posting or move on entirely following his interim stint in charge.
More recently there have been heated, public disagreements within the Real Madrid squad, chiefly between Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, who came to blows in the dressing room as per reports last week.
Against the backdrop of another disappointing season, Perez called a press conference offering a mock apology for his refusal to resign. Instead, the 79-year-old seemingly attempted to weaponise the club's democracy by bringing forward elections by three years and daring anyone to try and unseat him, playing on the fact his presence casts an especially long shadow at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Despite the room being filled with questions about the failed title race, Perez immediately shut down the press, stating he had no intention of discussing the sporting side of the club’s recent struggles.
Real Madrid last won the league title two years ago, and the Copa del Rey in 2023. The club have also been eliminated from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage in each of the last two seasons.
Perez also cited his 74 trophies as evidence that he is the greatest president in the club's history, making it abundantly clear that he would not be leaving his post voluntarily. To further illustrate this point, the executive added that someone would have to 'shoot him' to remove him from his role as club president.
On Valverde and Tchouameni's fisticuffs, which left the Uruguayan requiring stitches, Perez dismissed the severity of recent altercations claiming it's normal for 'four or five' teammates to hit each other every season. He described both Valverde and Tchouameni as 'good kids' who were merely showing heart.
Perhaps forgetting the established question-and-answer format of press conferences, Perez pulled out his phone to scroll through headlines, openly laughing at what he described as 'fake news' and singling out Spanish outlet ABC for ridicule.
The Real Madrid president then targeted a female journalist from ABC, who had written a column on the club's recent failings, questioning whether she possessed even a basic level of footballing intelligence.
The journalist was not the final recipient of one of Perez's barbs, either, as he took aim at Barcelona in relation to the Negreira scandal.
The case, which remains an ongoing sports corruption investigation involving Barcelona and Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, is the subject of intense debate in Spanish football. Perez claimed Real Madrid have drafted a formal report to UEFA to ensure their rivals are punished. He is of the opinion that the LaLiga title remaining in Barcelona is part of a larger conspiracy, dubbing it a 'theft'.
Perez had more points to make, explaining he does not feel the weight of his 79 years, claiming he works day and night, describing himself as a 'supernatural animal' and a 'beast', before then arguing with reporters, threatening to restrict media access for outlets who have written things he disliked.
In true theatrical fashion, Perez ended the diatribe by highlighting his immense wealth and corporate success, instructing supporters to get behind the players, wishing those present in the room a good evening, and expressing his desire to never set eyes on them again. And scene.
