Florentino's press conference: a chaotic hour
Florentino Pérez called elections and spent an hour in front of the press, but answered almost nothing that matters. He refused to discuss the season's failures on the pitch. He gave no indication of who replaces Alvaro Arbeloa as manager (8). His most memorable line: "Players have hit each other every year I've been here" — a dismissal of the dressing room unrest reports rather than an acknowledgment (8). He also made repeated dismissive comments about a female journalist from ABC, which drew widespread criticism (6) (7). The overall picture: a president on the defensive, visibly rattled, and unwilling to confront what went wrong this season (4) (8).
Clásico fallout: Vinicius abuse reported, Bellingham call backed
LaLiga has formally reported the racist and abusive insults directed at Vinicius Jr. by Barcelona fans during the Clásico at Camp Nou (3). That case is now in official hands. On the refereeing side, the CTA reviewed the Bellingham incident and backed the decision not to award a penalty. No further action expected there (3).
Xabi Alonso to Chelsea: what it means for Real Madrid
The Xabi Alonso to Chelsea rumours are picking up again (1) (2). If he goes to Stamford Bridge, the speculation is he could bring several current Real Madrid players with him. That matters here because it adds another layer of uncertainty to the summer. Madrid need a new manager and some of the players linked with Chelsea are presumably on whoever's shortlist to stay (1) (2). Nothing confirmed. Watch this space.
Fan reactions
The mood on r/realmadrid after Florentino's press conference is bleak. Fans who hoped for accountability, or at least an apology for the season, got the opposite: arrogance and deflection. The prevailing feeling is that many supporters had given Florentino the benefit of the doubt in public, assuming he was composed and strategic behind the scenes, but Tuesday's appearance shattered that. The thread says it all.