Several sources indicate Florentino Pérez believes he holds influence at Real Madrid and advocates changes to the text of a new sports regulation. The measure is set to be debated in the Congress of Deputies this Tuesday before it moves to the Senate for final approval. The government’s proposal has sparked opposition from virtually all major clubs apart from Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Athletic Bilbao. At the same time, LaLiga warns of a possible shutdown if the text remains unchanged, arguing it threatens the financial viability of smaller clubs.
“Everything points to an intervention by Florentino Pérez. Without his involvement, the text would not look the same, given the broad opposition from football groups,” commented Pablo Echenique, spokesperson for United We Can, at a press conference in the Congress. He added that Parliament should not enact laws aligned with Florentino’s personal aims. These accusations echo the long-standing friction between LaLiga and the Sports Law, which has manifested in recent weeks.
The congressional report on the proposal, largely drafted by the PP and PSOE and based on reporting from El Periódico de España of the Prensa Ibérica group, does not satisfy the demands of the chamber. The First and Second divisions have threatened to suspend play if the current articles stay in place, and LaLiga’s extraordinary board will meet later in the week to decide on a potential shutdown, a move the RFEF has warned would be illegal.
LaLiga had already taken a firm stance weeks ago and managed to secure changes that altered the wording, with the aim of stabilizing the league. Those modifications were later rolled back under pressure from Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez as part of an effort to smooth the path toward a possible future Super League launch.
The coalition partner who supported the bill in the Council of Ministers is now advocating changes and says the text should be revised. He indicated support for amendments proposed by other groups such as Ciudadanos, promising to work on a broad set of changes proposed by different factions.
“There is no vision of a new law,” said a representative, stressing that this marks the first time in decades that the football league has reached a standstill. They argued that 39 of 42 clubs understand that the proposed measures, according to legal analyses, could threaten their economic viability. Echenique insisted that the parliament exists to defend the public interest, not to advance Florentino Pérez’s personal agenda.
Broad demand for change beyond the big clubs
Citizens have put forward a series of amendments supported by the majority of football clubs and parliamentary groups outside the PP and PSOE. William Díaz, the orange party’s spokesperson for the Culture and Sports Commission, noted that the proposed changes would provide legal certainty to clubs in League One and the Second Division that have valid contracts under the current framework and could be affected by regulatory gaps.
Diaz announced that his initiative would receive substantial support from nearly the entire parliament, except for the PP and PSOE, who had previously altered the criteria and later explained their change of position. The amendments were withdrawn after LaLiga pressed for a restoration of the previously requested wording.
“We will ensure legal certainty for the 39 First and Second clubs that are bound by current contracts and could be affected by silence or a regulatory loophole,” Díaz maintained. The focus remains on safeguarding the interests of smaller and mid-sized clubs that rely on stable policies to operate effectively.