Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa has backed Florentino Pérez to lead the club forward, after the president called elections following two seasons without winning a major trophy.
In a heated improvised news conference on Tuesday, Pérez hit out at what he described as a media campaign against him and refused to resign as president, but said he was calling elections so that any would-be opponents could stand against him.
Madrid lost 2-0 to Barcelona in Sunday's Clásico to confirm Barça as champions, making it two years without a major trophy for the first time 2006, bringing an end to a chaotic season which saw Madrid fire coach Xabi Alonso and replace him with Arbeloa.
"Any fan who heard the president yesterday would agree with defending the interests of Real Madrid and its members," Arbeloa said in a news conference on Wednesday ahead of the team's LaLiga game with Real Oviedo. "If this club has a strength, it is its members and the fans. Nobody will tell us how to think, how to be or how to act."
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Pérez has been Madrid president since 2000, with a three-year break from 2006 to 2009. Since then, he has faced no opposition, being re-elected unopposed every four years.
To stand in Madrid's presidential elections, a candidate must fulfil a number of requirements including having been a member for 20 years, holding Spanish nationality and being able to personally guarantee 15% of the club's overall budget.
"I'm not a member, so I won't vote," Arbeloa said, when asked if he was backing Pérez. "But I remember Real Madrid without Florentino Perez. I know how the club was before Florentino's arrival, and how it's been in the 26 years with Florentino here. I'd choose these 26 years, for sure, there's no doubt.
"Alongside Santiago Bernabeu, he's the most influential person in Real Madrid history. If you ask me, if anyone can turn this situation around, it's Florentino."
During Tuesday's hour-long appearance at Valdebebas, Pérez said Madrid would soon be handing a dossier to UEFA on the Negreira case, and alleged that during his presidency Madrid had been "robbed of seven leagues."
"Yes of course," Arbeloa said, when asked if he agreed. "We all know what has happened for over 20 years... We'd all love the [Negreira] case to be resolved."
Arbeloa denied that Madrid's second consecutive trophyless season represented "rock bottom" for the club.
"Where are other clubs then?" he said. "It isn't like we've been 50 years without winning anything... Would anyone bet against Real Madrid winning something next season? I don't understand the analysis of institutional instability, of disaster, of a divided dressing room. I don't get it.
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"In the summer, the club will undertake the necessary analysis to improve, it will have a stronger squad. This is sport. No club wins the league and Champions League every year."
Arbeloa wouldn't confirm if forward Kylian Mbappé would be available to play Oviedo on Thursday.
"We'll see if he can complete the training session today," Arbeloa said. "Yesterday he did. If he can complete training and be available, he'll get minutes for sure, and the chance, in these three games to keep showing his commitment to the club, to keep playing and keep scoring. As coach and as a fan, that's what I want to see."