Florentino Perez will maintain his role as Real Madrid’s president after beating Enrique Riquelme at the polls.
Incumbent president Florentino Pérez has officially secured reelection at Real Madrid, comfortably defeating rival candidate Enrique Riquelme in the club’s first contested presidential vote in over 20 years.
Landslide victory for Florentino
The electoral process began after Perez abruptly called for emergency elections on May 12, well ahead of schedule, following waves of media scrutiny and a frustrating, major silverware-free domestic campaign that saw arch-rivals Barcelona capture consecutive LALIGA titles.
Following his decisive victory on Sunday, June 7, the 79-year-old president addressed the club’s socios (members), taking the opportunity to hit back at detractors and reaffirm the governance of the club will remain democratic.
“At Real Madrid, the members are in charge as long as I am here,” Pérez stated, amid claims that he intends to privatise the club.
Mourinho’s return confirmed as Riquelme’s campaign falters
The election outcome shapes the immediate sporting future at the Santiago Bernabéu, all but finalising the return of manager José Mourinho to the club.
Pérez had centred his campaign around the legendary Portuguese tactician, reaching an agreement with Mourinho to return as head coach contingent on his success at the polls.
Real Madrid’s members evidently found Perez’s overall pitch superior to the platform of renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme, who had campaigned on a promise to bring in club legend Raúl González as sports director while stating that Mourinho would not return under his watch.
While Riquelme tried to sway voters by pledging blockbuster deals for Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and midfielder Rodri and naming Jürgen Klopp as his manager, he was faced with embarrassment, as those parties issued public denials.
Instead, the club’s hierarchy will pivot toward executing Pérez’s own summer roadmap, which features finalising Mourinho’s managerial terms alongside launching an astronomical €150 million bid for Bayern Munich’s French winger Michael Olise.