What happened: Florentino Pérez addressed the dressing-room fight between Fede Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, saying it was "very bad but it's even worse that it came up to the media." The Real Madrid president added that such incidents "happen every year" and accused the press of inflating the story. He framed the leaks themselves as the bigger problem for the club.

Why it matters: The remarks land days after Real Madrid fined Tchouaméni and Valverde a combined €1M over the altercation, which left Valverde with a traumatic brain injury and ruled him out of El Clásico. Pérez's choice to attack the leakers rather than condemn the fight signals a closing-of-ranks posture as the club manages a fractured dressing room. The admission that such episodes recur annually will fuel scrutiny of internal discipline at the Bernabéu.

What to watch: Watch for follow-up reporting on the source of the leak and any further disciplinary action. Pérez's tone also sets the backdrop for ongoing managerial speculation around the club.