Real Madrid president Florentino Perez claims he is victim of ‘organised campaign’ and calls for club elections

Perez said the campaign against him was being “orchestrated by bad journalists and non journalists (AP/Bernat Armangue)

The president spoke after a meeting of the club’s board of directors.

Madrid has endured a second consecutive season without a major trophy, despite having France star Kylian Mbappé in the squad.

Pérez did not speak about the team's results, saying his appearance was solely to defend Madrid club members from attacks. He did not want to talk about a potential coaching change when asked about the possibility of José Mourinho returning next season.

Pérez said the leak of the fighting between players during training last week — which led to Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni being fined 500,000 euros ($586,000) each — was worse than the actual fight itself.

“It's not the first time that players fight with each other,” Pérez said. “It happens almost every season. But someone leaked it for the first time. And we know who it was. It should have stayed within the club.” He gave no further details.

Pérez dismissed rumors that he was tired of the job, or sick, saying they had been spread by his detractors.

“They said I have cancer and that it was terminal," he said. “It was the most undignified thing that has ever happened to me. They said I didn't go out, that I couldn't walk.”