What happened: Álvaro Arbeloa publicly backed Florentino Pérez's recent assertion that Real Madrid were robbed of seven La Liga titles, telling reporters: "Of course, we all know what happened these years." The endorsement, surfaced via Fabrizio Romano, extends a week of pointed club commentary on refereeing and the Negreira case.

Why it matters: Arbeloa is a club-academy figurehead whose words carry institutional weight, signaling Madrid will keep the Negreira drumbeat loud through the offseason. The remarks deepen the rift with Barcelona and pressure La Liga and the federation as title legitimacy becomes a political flashpoint heading into 2026-27.

What to watch: Watch for a formal La Liga or RFEF response and whether Barcelona officials counterpunch. Arbeloa's own future at the club, amid Mourinho-return chatter, remains the parallel storyline to track.