Florentino Pérez or Enrique Riquelme, Real Madrid’s election explained | OneFootball

Real Madrid socios will choose on Sunday whether Florentino Pérez or Enrique Riquelme leads the club for the next four years. Pérez unexpectedly called elections on 12 May.

Re-elected a little over a year ago, he still had three years left. The move aimed to restore authority after two seasons without a trophy and to wrong-foot rivals, who had 10 days to enter. In an interview with As, he also outlined transfer priorities.

Candidates must be Spanish and at least 18, be socios for at least 20 years, and lodge a guarantee worth at least 15% of the budget. Riquelme, 37 and a renewable-energy entrepreneur, has provided €193.7m.

More than 70,000 of 100,000 socios are called to vote between nine in the morning and eight in the evening at the training centre. Only those over 18 with at least one year’s membership can vote, and the most votes wins. It is the first ballot since July 2006, when Ramon Calderon beat Juan Palacios, after five uncontested elections with Pérez the sole candidate.

Riquelme proposes restructuring and the returns of Raul as sporting director and Fernando Hierro to head the academy. He has promised moves for Erling Haaland, which Haaland’s father has denied, and for Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

Pérez has said he would reinstall José Mourinho. In that interview he named Ibrahima Konaté as his priority in defence. Three days out, the campaign is in full swing.

Source: L'Équipe