Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will not travel to Barcelona for Sunday’s El Clasico at Spotify Camp Nou, according to Mundo Deportivo, meaning the Spanish giants will contest one of football’s biggest fixtures without a meeting between the two clubs’ presidents.
The traditional pre-match lunch involving the Barcelona and Real Madrid boards will also not take place, which continues to show the massive breakdown in relations between the rivals.
Real Madrid will maintain a presence at Camp Nou
Perez’s decision not to attend means there will be no presidential reunion with Barcelona counterpart Joan Laporta before kick-off.
However, it is crucial to note that a Real Madrid delegate is expected to represent the club in the VIP area, ensuring that the club will still have an official presence at the stadium.
Florentino Perez will not attend the El Clasico at Spotify Camp Nou. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
There is precedent for a reduced Madrid delegation. At the previous corresponding Clasico at Camp Nou, Real Madrid honorary president Pirri was the club’s sole representative in the VIP box.
The expected attendance of a new delegate this time would again leave Perez away from the occasion.
For Real Madrid, the priority is the match itself, as the president’s absence does not alter the sporting challenge facing the team, although it will attract attention given the significance of the rivalry and the current state of relations between the two institutions.
Negreira dispute continues to affect relations with Barcelona
The lack of a directors’ lunch shows the declining institutional relationship between the two that has developed since Real Madrid became involved in the Negreira case.
There is no relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)
The dispute has contributed to the deterioration in relations between the clubs, with the traditional pre-match gathering between their leadership teams no longer taking place.
Perez has also been absent from Camp Nou in recent seasons, making his latest decision consistent with that pattern.
The lack of direct engagement between the presidents means there is little indication of an immediate return to the previous level of cooperation between the clubs.
Indeed, the situation remains separate from the footballing contest, but it illustrates how the rivalry has extended beyond the pitch into the boardroom.