Trent Alexander-Arnold left Liverpool less than a year ago but he and his teammates are facing fresh doubt at Real Madrid with more chaos unfolding — and Jose Mourinho coming
19:07, 12 May 2026
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid.
Trent Alexander-Arnold of Real Madrid.(Image: Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has fanned the recent flames at the Bernabeu after holding an unexpected press conference in which he made a series of bizarre statements.
Perez, after Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde came to blows behind the scenes, said that fights have happened every season that he has been at Real Madrid — just that they are not normally put into the public realm. He said the worst thing about that incident, which saw Tchouameni needing treatment for a head injury, was that it came out in the media.
The Spaniard also denied rumors that he has cancer, insisting he is fully healthy, and called for fresh elections at Real Madrid. Some thought that the 79-year-old would confirm his resignation when he announced a hastily arranged press conference, before Perez appeared to do the opposite.
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"I'm sorry to tell you that I am not going to resign," he began. He went on to criticize various reporters in a series of exchanges that follow a second season in a row in which Real Madrid has failed to win any major silverware.
At the weekend, it suffered the ultimate humiliation of Barcelona being confirmed as La Liga champion during El Clasico. Hansi Flick's men ran out comfortable 2-0 winners with goals from Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres.
"They’re saying Real Madrid is in shambles, that it’s chaos, that it’s a disaster," Perez said. "It’s all lies. This is the most prestigious club in the world. With me as president, we have won 66 titles (across soccer and basketball). Maybe I need to remind you."
Perez was unwilling to talk about Real Madrid's performances this season and took issue with various members of the assembled media. It is anticipated that he will soon confirm Jose Mourinho as the team's next manager, which is unlikely to calm things.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Xabi Alonso
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Xabi Alonso(Image: Getty Images)
"An absurd situation has been created that goes against the interests of Real Madrid and against me personally," Perez insisted. "You cannot win all the time — it has happened before — but people are taking advantage of the situation to attack me."
He also said that Real Madrid's roster is the most valuable in the world according to the popular website Transfermarkt, seemingly suggesting that any media criticism was therefore unwarranted.
Perez said he would cancel his subscription with ABC News because of criticism from one reporter in attendance. "You attack Real Madrid every day," he claimed.
For any club looking to hire Xabi Alonso, who was fired by Real Madrid in January, this perhaps adds some context to the environment in which he was working.
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And you might also question what the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Los Blancos shortly after the Spaniard was brought in, might be thinking.
Alexander-Arnold has been among the Real Madrid stars to face harsh criticism this season, with his defending coming into question amid another relatively difficult campaign for a team used to winning with ease.
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Nine of the starting XI that won Real Madrid's last trophy — the 2024 Champions League against Borussia Dortmund — remain at the club, but things have spiraled out of control.
So far, new signings like Alexander-Arnold and Kylian Mbappe have not worked as planned. Perez's latest outburst suggests the crisis goes much deeper than that.