Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez used his press conference announcing the upcoming presidential election to criticize a report from ABC newspaper. The story in question was based on a remark, “I am very tired,” attributed to someone in his inner circle. ABC insists the information is accurate and that the report never suggested any health concerns.
Florentino expressed frustration over the article, accusing the reporter and the newspaper of fabricating news. He noted that he has been a subscriber of ABC since his father first introduced it to him. After asking if the reporter who wrote the piece was in the room, he addressed the notion of fatigue and linked it to interpretations that were never part of the original report.
“I might be a bit tired from all the traveling, but I’m not tired of football. Do I look tired to you?” Florentino said. “Someone even said I have a terminal illness… I haven’t even seen a doctor! A friend told me he knows a place that treats terminal illnesses really well. I told him, ‘Look, I don’t even want to curse your father…'”
The comment “I am very tired” is genuine. It was conveyed to ABC by a person close to the Real Madrid president just minutes before his speech. ABC published it without any speculation, simply reflecting a sentiment that is understandable and acceptable, especially after a turbulent season when rumors around the club were multiplying.
Florentino singled out the journalist who wrote the story and Rubén Cañizares, the ABC editor who has covered Real Madrid for years. Although the president claimed someone was joking about his health or implying serious illness, ABC maintains that it never suggested anything of the sort at any point.