Ex-Real Madrid presidential candidate reacts to recent Florentino Perez controversy: “We have to all be together” | OneFootball

Back in June, Enrique Riquelme was in the running to become Real Madrid president, but he ended up losing out to Florentino Perez. Despite the election having been over for several months, there remains bad blood between the pair, at least from the latter’s perspective.

Last week, it was reported that Perez was furious at encountering Riquelme at the RiyadhAir Metropolitano during Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid. The former presidential candidate has now given his reaction to the situation during an interview with Cope (via MD), and he admitted that he had no idea it was such a story until he saw it in the media.

“I didn’t know about the story until later from the press. In other words, I was there, they invited me to go and obviously, as a Madridista and what I have repeated on several occasions, the elections are over and now we have to all be together and Madridismo, at this time, has to be united and no turbulence or unnecessary noise. Real Madrid has to be one and that’s how it will be for me.”

Riquelme reacts to Real Madrid “needing’ Haaland and Rodri

Riquelme was also asked about Real Madrid’s struggles this season, and the fact that they could have been solved by the signings of Erling Haaland and Rodri, two players he promised to bring to the Bernabeu if he became president.

“Well, as I tell you, the elections are over. My proposals were clear, they were on the table, and they have made, as we expected, a great World Cup and well, now, I wish luck to the Real Madrid players and hopefully they will bring us titles this year. I hope, I trust, I hope and I will be there to cheer them on most of the matches that I am in Spain or abroad, of course I will go to support as another partner.”