Real Madrid win €1 court case for 'unlawful intrusion' against media outlet over leaked Florentino Perez recordings

In a major legal victory for Madrid president Perez, Spain's Supreme Court has upheld a lower court's ruling, convicting the newspaper El Confidencial and its editor, Ignacio Cardero. The case centers on the newspaper's 2021 publication of a series of private audio recordings, secretly made years earlier without Perez's consent. These explosive recordings contained candid and highly critical remarks from the president about club legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he called "an idiot",, Iker Casillas and Raul - "the two biggest frauds", and then-coach Jose Mourinho, who was branded "an imbecile", among others.

The Supreme Court's decision wasn't just about the content of the recordings but about the newspaper's intent behind publishing them. The judge's ruling explicitly stated that El Confidencial "exceeded the bounds of its freedom of information," arguing that the purpose was not to inform but to "undermine Mr. Florentino Perez Rodríguez's public image." The court determined that this was a clear attempt at defamation, which cannot be protected under the guise of press freedom. This legal battle began shortly after the controversial European Super League project failed in 2021, with Perez himself suggesting the timing of the leaks was a form of retribution for his leadership of the project.

The ruling concludes a long legal journey that saw three different Spanish courts - the Madrid Court of First Instance, the Provincial Court, and finally the Supreme Court - rule in favour of Perez. El Confidencial and Cardero have been ordered to permanently cease all dissemination of the recordings, meaning they can no longer be published or reproduced in any form. Additionally, they must publish the court's ruling in several major Spanish newspapers, including Marca, As, and El Pais, as well as in their own publications, within 15 days. While the court ordered a symbolic compensation of just €1 and asked the publication to cover the trial charges.

The court's decision will likely have a chilling effect on future publications of secretly recorded materials, forcing media outlets to be far more cautious. This case signals a new era where public figures, even those as prominent as Perez, have a powerful legal tool to protect their private conversations from being used to discredit them.