It was last Sunday that Florentino Perez presented Real Madrid’s financial results to his loyal cadre of socios compromisarios at the club’s general assembly, the super-socios, who are the only members permitted to attend the meeting, although they are expected to do as they are told.

Unusually there were some hints of rebellion towards Perez, the all-powerful club president who is in his second spell in charge during which he has made it all but impossible for anyone to challenge him. It came from one of his fellow socios, all of whom pay an annual membership fee of about €150 (£134), which is no more than Perez, the multi-millionaire chairman of Spain’s largest construction and utilities company, puts into the club himself.

The socio in question reminded Perez that although they had been to school together, not everyone was in such a strong position to absorb the 10 per cent rise in season ticket prices. Perez snapped back that revenue from membership fees and season tickets constituted just six per cent of the club’s income, as if to suggest the socio should really know his place.

Hardly in the tradition of Santiago Bernabeu’s great vision for his member-owned club and, given the state of the club’s finances under Perez, it is a wonder he is lecturing anyone.