It would amount to a hidden machine of consensus operating inside the web.
In Spain, in recent days, a report published by Marca has drawn attention to allegations that hundreds of fake accounts on X were used to amplify support for Florentino Pérez during his re-election campaign as Real Madrid president.
The claim originates from a European cybersecurity consultancy cited by the newspaper. According to its analysis, a network of accounts considered “potentially inauthentic” was identified during the electoral period. In total, 326 profiles are said to have generated more than 29,000 posts either in favour of Pérez or directed against his rival, Enrique Riquelme, who commissioned the investigation.
The pattern described is not presented as random activity. The report suggests coordinated behaviour across multiple accounts, with the stated purpose of shaping online discussion around the presidential vote at Real Madrid.
According to the findings, the structure of the activity followed a dual logic: reinforcing Pérez’s public image while simultaneously undermining that of his opponent. The investigation examined 119,000 mentions collected during the campaign period and flagged a concentration of activity that appeared disproportionate within that dataset. Roughly a quarter of the engagement, it claims, could be traced back to the suspected accounts.
The timeline overlaps with the official electoral process. Activity intensified in the weeks following the announcement of elections on 14 May, spanning posts, reactions and reshared content on X.
Florentino Pérez later broke a prolonged silence on his future at the club, indicating he intended to remain in charge for at least another two years. The timing, noted in the report, coincided with a period in which online sentiment around the presidency appeared to shift in parallel with the campaign itself.
The consultancy cited in the investigation argues that signs of a coordinated digital ecosystem favourable to Pérez were already detectable in 2022, before becoming more pronounced in the months leading up to the election period. Some accounts, described as dormant, were reportedly reactivated shortly before May 2026 and re-entered the public discussion around the vote.
The findings now sit alongside questions being raised by Riquelme’s camp, and by observers within the club’s broader shareholder base. Real Madrid members are expected to evaluate the next phase of governance after an era defined by Pérez’s leadership, both in terms of sporting success and the increasingly scrutinised space around it.