Real Madrid president Florentino Perez lashed out at his critics in the Spanish media after calling a surprise press conference on Tuesday evening.
Madrid will end the season without a trophy and have endured some tough times off the field in recent weeks.
Speculation suggests that Jose Mourinho will return as manager – but Perez called in the news cameras to criticise his own critics.
The 79-year-old said his health was fine and he was going nowhere.
He said: “An absurd situation has been created against Real Madrid and against me. I regret to inform you that I will not resign. I will call for elections.
“Some are saying I’m sick, that I have terminal cancer. I want to take this opportunity to thank the people who are worried about me. I’m still president of the club and my company, which has a turnover of 50 billion a year. My health is perfect.
“Journalists and their colleagues don’t run things at Real Madrid. People don’t believe them; they believe me.
“Journalists think they influence club decisions because they’re important, but that’s not the case. The members are in charge.
“I can’t accept that just because we haven’t won La Liga and the Champions League this year. They say Real Madrid is in chaos now, and yet it’s the most prestigious club in the world.”
Mourinho is thought to be the preferred choice for Perez after a season of enormous instability that has unravelled over the past week, culminating in a training ground fracas between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouameni. Valverde ended up in hospital with a brain trauma and both men were fined €500,000.
Mourinho has another 12 months left on his contract at Benfica but it contains a one-week escape clause at the end of the season.
‘I don’t want him at Madrid’
One man who is not keen on a return for the Special One is former goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Casillas won three Champions Leagues with Real but found himself dropped by Mourinho in 2012.
“I have no problem with Mourinho. I think he’s a great professional. I don’t want him at Real Madrid. I believe other coaches would be better suited to manage the club of my life. Personal opinion. Nothing more,” he wrote on his X account.
