Real Madrid fan Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez has initiated a petition on Change.org which aims at forcing the club’s president Florentino Perez into resignation. The petition has now gathered in excess of five thousand supporters as of now.
Perez has been in the bad books of Los Blancos supporters who are not happy with the ongoings at the club and have shown their discontent time and again at the Santiago Bernabeu. The jeers and chants have also been directed towards manager Rafa Benitez, who has not had a pleasant spell at the helm of the club.
The petition strictly outlines that they want Perez’s resignation as he has damaged the club’s prestige with his absurd transfer tactics and the regular change of managers which brings instability to the club. Rodriguez, who started the petition also pointed out that the appointment of Rafa Benitez has been a ‘disaster’.
The plea, which represents the Madridistas around says, referring to the President’s second spell at the club, “We ask you to take responsibility for the damage you have done to our club since returning to the presidency” and mentions five points, on the grounds of which Perez to step down from his post.
- Throwing away hundreds of millions of euros on signings of players who have given us nothing, without any consequences.
- Coaches changed almost every year creating a climate of instability in the club and the players. The last one, Benitez, is an absolute disaster.
- Absolute lack of vision for the future of our club, both on and off the field.
- Destroying the youth, encouraging foreign players.
- Manipulating the club statutes to stay in power.
Perez’s string of mistakes
The Los Blancos fans previously showed their displeasure towards the president after former manager Carlo Ancelotti was ousted from the club for failing to win a trophy in the 2014-15 season, even though, he helped the club to their tenth Champions League title, La Decima, in his first season with the club. Later, the fans voiced their unhapiness when club legend Iker Casillas was allowed to leave the club unceremoniously after 25 years of association.
The Madrid-based club has had a torrid season thus far as they lie on the third place, behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid on the league table. They also succumbed to an embarrassing 4-0 loss to arch-rivals Barcelona in the El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu. The club faced one more awkward situtaton when Denis Cheryshev started a Copa del Rey match, even after being ineligible to play which resulted in Real’s elimination from the tournament.
The chants against Perez and Benitez gained strength after the loss, however, the president was unperturbed by the jeers and said that only a section of fans are against him and not all of them.
“The 'Florentino out' chants are always started by the same people: the club's 'Ultra Sur' supporters club,” said the 68-year-old.
