06/07/26 06:37:00
Printable Page
06/07 18:32 CDT Prez re-elected Real Madrid president to pave way for
Mourinho's return
Prez re-elected Real Madrid president to pave way for Mourinho's return
MADRID (AP) --- Florentino Prez has earned four more years as Real Madrid's
president after winning club elections on Sunday.
"We are going to keep working so that Real Madrid keeps winning more titles,"
Prez told his supporters at a victory party held at almost 1:00 a.m., soon
after Real Madrid's club television channel reported Prez had beaten
challenger Enrique Riquelme.
The club is yet to make the vote count public.
Prez's victory will pave the way for him to bring back Portuguese coach Jos
Mourinho for a second stint at Madrid. Mourinho, who coached Madrid from
2010-2013, was featured in promotional material for Prez during the campaign.
Prez said he was "proud that Jos Mourinho, one of the best coaches in the
world, is set to return."
Prez has also said he wants to sign Liverpool center back Ibrahima Konat and
Inter Milan right back Denzel Dumfries, in addition to a pledge to bring in
another major signing to be disclosed this week worth more than 150 million
euros ($173 million).
The 79-year-old Prez ran Madrid from 2000-2006 and from 2009 until now. Under
his leadership, Madrid has won seven of its record 15 European Cups.
Madrid has also been the most valuable club in the world for the last five
years, according to Forbes.
Prez, who also runs an international construction company, hadn't been
challenged for Madrid's presidency by a rival candidate in over 20 years. He
ran unchallenged when elections were scheduled in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and
2025.
That said, Prez has had a frustrating run of late. His Super League scheme to
launch a rival competition to UEFA's Champions League fell through, and Madrid
has gone two seasons without winning a title despite recruiting star striker
Kylian Mbapp.
Prez has also been criticized for last year floating the idea of selling 10%
of the club to private investors, a move that would break with 124 years of the
member ownership model.
Riquelme, a renewable energy executive, launched his candidacy after an
agitated Prez announced elections last month during a news conference when he
dared anyone to challenge him and denounced what he called a media campaign to
topple him.
The 37-year-old Riquelme had the backing of former Madrid players such as Ral
Gonzlez, Fernando Hierro and Iker Casillas. He also promised the huge signing
of Manchester City star Erling Haaland. City and Haaland's agent dismissed the
chance of him moving to Madrid this summer.
There were 98,000 club members eligible to vote. The election was held at
Madrid's basketball pavilion because the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is being
used for an event by Pope Leo XIV during his weeklong visit to Spain.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
|
