Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is once again making headlines in the Spanish press due to his involvement in the Dani Olmo case. The midfielder was ultimately registered with Barça’s first team in January, despite the Catalan club being on the verge of losing him for at least six months.
Since January, the case has been causing a stir in Catalonia. Despite the fierce rivalry between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez used his political and sporting influence in Spain to help Barça register Dani Olmo. Having joined the Catalan side during last summer’s transfer window, the Spanish midfielder was at risk of missing the second half of the season due to financial fair play restrictions. Following a joint meeting between the RFEF and LaLiga, both governing bodies had initially decided that the former Leipzig player could not be registered in Barcelona’s squad.
“NO” turned into “YES” for Olmo
“After reviewing the applicable federal regulations, the Oversight Committee has decided not to grant the preliminary visa or final licence requested by FC Barcelona for players Daniel Olmo and Pau Víctor. This decision is in strict accordance with the literal interpretation of RFEF laws, which prohibit a player whose licence has been cancelled from obtaining a new licence for the same team within the same season,” the RFEF had declared in January.
Against all odds, the Spanish international was eventually registered, along with Pau Víctor, due to an intervention from the CSD (Higher Sports Council), a governmental body that oversees Spain’s sports policy and holds authority over both LaLiga and the Federation. At that time, while in Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup final, Joan Laporta expressed his delight upon hearing the good news. Just a few days ago, Catalunya Ràdio revealed that it was Florentino Pérez who personally called José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, the president of the CSD, to advocate for Barça’s cause.
Florentino Pérez’s secret maneuvers
In recent hours, El Confidencial, a highly regarded media outlet, has revealed further details about the case. According to its sources, “Florentino Pérez openly admitted to FC Barcelona officials in Jeddah that he had played a role in the decision. He even congratulated Dani Olmo personally in the tunnel of King Abdullah Sport City stadium, which left the player surprised.”
To put it bluntly, the Real Madrid president told his counterparts and the player himself that “if he was able to take the field” during the Spanish Super Cup final and for the remainder of the season, it was partly thanks to him. In the end, however, his intervention did little to help Carlo Ancelotti’s team, who suffered a humiliating 5-2 defeat in that final. Perhaps unknowingly, Florentino Pérez had actually boosted the morale of Hansi Flick’s players, who scored and dedicated their victory to Olmo.
A power game that backfires
These revelations have sparked outrage in Spain. It is worth noting that Florentino Pérez’s move—successfully bypassing both LaLiga and the Spanish Federation to aid Barcelona—was ultimately just another power play. Locked in a long-standing conflict with LaLiga president Javier Tebas, Pérez used his influence to assert dominance. According to insiders, the 78-year-old Madrid president was simply following the old adage: “The enemy of your enemy is your friend.”
Instead of turning his back on Barça—his rival and natural enemy—Pérez chose to take on another adversary: Tebas. However, this power struggle is not without consequences. Currently fighting for the league title, Real Madrid now faces a much stronger Barça side, with Dani Olmo proving decisive in big matches. Meanwhile, LaLiga has not hesitated to retaliate against Madrid by imposing harsh sanctions, such as unfavourable match scheduling.
What a dramatic turn of events!
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