AUDIO LEAKED OF REAL MADRID PRESIDENT ACCUSING BUSINESS RIVALS OF ASSASSINATION PLOT

Audio has been leaked of Real Madrid President Florentino Perez accusing one of his business rivals of a plot to assassinate him, seven years ago. Amid the elections, Catalan radio station RAC1 have got hold of the audio from seven years ago, and released to the public.

Perez is currently in a battle for power with Enrique Riquelme for the Real Madrid Presidency, the first contested elections in 20 years since Perez stepped down in 2006. The mud-slinging is in full flow, with Perez this week accusing Riquelme of being more interested in getting famous and getting rich from Real Madrid. The vote will take place this Sunday, with Perez widely expected to win a landslide vote.

Perez accuses business rival of assassination plot

During the press conference where Perez called elections, he challenged Riquelme to run against him, albeit without mentioning him by name. He has also insinuated that long-term business rival Ignacio Sanchez Galan, who is President of Iberdrola and an associate of Riquelme, is behind the presidential challenge. RAC1 have released audio from 2019, in which he accuses Sanchez of contracting former Spanish spy and whistleblower Jose Manuel Villarejo of a plot to assassinate him. The audio comes from a 2019 testimony that Perez gave to the court during a case against his construction company ACS, and Perez accuses Sanchez and Galan of conspiring against him.

“There are three things they have repeatedly told me. One, that the best thing is to make me disappear with an accident or a virus. I didn’t know they could make you disappear with a virus. Another thing they say is that they have to find the accounts that Florentino Perez has outside Spain and that they would pay a lot of money for that. And the other is to invent a child, and sell the story to the press.”

He later goes on to deny that he has any offshore bank accounts, and the case, brought by Castor, was dismissed.

Perez involved in election process

Perez is currently engaged during the election process, where he has promised to bring in signings, and is expected to appoint Jose Mourinho as his new manager. He has also promised a referendum on plans to sell off 5% of the club to an investor, changing the ownership model of the club. Riquelme is campaigning on an opposition to this idea, and promising that there will be an improved experience for club members when they go to the stadium.

- Ruairidh Barlow

RFEF TO PROBE REAL MADRID REF CLIPS AFTER SEVILLA COMPLAINT

Vinícius Júnior argues with the referee during Real Madrid's draw with Valencia last Saturday. Photo by Jose Hernandez/Anadolu via Getty Images

 The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has opened an investigation into Real Madrid TV's broadcasting of videos criticising referees ahead of games, Sevilla said on Thursday.

Sevilla filed a complaint on Feb. 24 before the two clubs met in LaLiga at the Bernabéu, claiming Real Madrid TV had undertaken a "campaign of persecution and harassment" against the referees due to take charge of the match.

Madrid's club television channel has regularly broadcast criticism of referees and their decisions before and after matches this season.

"The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), via its Judges and Disciplinary Committee, has informed us that they have opened an investigation into Real Madrid, following our complaint of the videos broadcast by Real Madrid TV in the build-up to games," Sevilla said in a statement on Thursday.

"Ahead of our match at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid TV released a video scrutinising referees Isidro Díaz de Mera and Pablo González Fuertes, the referee and VAR respectively chosen for the match.

"The club decided to take action in light of the fact that these practices, which have been a recurring theme in recent times, including before a league meeting earlier this season between the two teams, are seriously damaging to Spanish football and call the integrity of the competition and its officiating body into question.

"Furthermore, above all, this malpractice seeks to influence individual matchday referees, as the videos attempt to create an image of lack of professionalism and anti-Madrid bias, right before fixtures are scheduled to be played. This has major repercussions for matches played at the Santiago Bernabéu, as tens of thousands of Madrid fans arrive convinced that an anti-Madrid bias exists amongst referees, which increases tension significantly and creates an unfair level of pressure on them."

Sevilla are the first club to register a formal complaint over Real Madrid TV's videos, although others have also expressed their unhappiness at the practice, accusing Madrid of seeking to influence officials.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta described Real Madrid TV's videos as "shameful" in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC1 last month, calling on the RFEF to "get involved" in the matter.

Barca coach Xavi Hernandez agreed, claiming that "[the videos] influence the competition completely, week after week."

Luis Media Cantalejo, the head of Spain's refereeing body, has complained that Real Madrid TV are "putting pressure" on referees.

"There's no sport, no team in the world that does this," he told COPE radio. "What's happening with this TV channel has never happened anywhere else. What they're doing seems absolutely negative to me. I've never seen it in 40 years of refereeing."

The latest incident that left Madrid unhappy with a official's decision-making came in their 2-2 draw at Valencia on Saturday in LaLiga, when referee Jesus Gil Manzano blew the full-time whistle seconds before Jude Bellingham had the ball in the net for what have been the winning goal.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who has defended Real Madrid TV's videos as "freedom of expression," called the decision "unpredecented."

In a speech to the club's AGM last year, Madrid president Florentino Perez called for government intervention in Spain's refereeing body, saying "urgent" reforms were needed to safeguard "the well-being of Spanish football."

- Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez