If Jose Mourinho wasn’t unpopular enough among Real Madrid fans, president Florentino Perez got to see their thoughts live.
The 79-year-old was re-elected club president but in a far closer contest than anyone expected against Enrique Riquelme.
While Riquelme’s promises were too populist for most fans, e.g. Jurgen Klopp and Erling Haaland, Perez’s were just a little underwhelming.
His plans for Mourinho and Ibrahima Konate didn’t impress, and the former was shown up in public scenes.
During his victory speech, Perez announced his new coach and paused for applause, only to be met with silence.
He then looked up and gestured for the crowd to clap, which they then duly did on command.
Perez’s speech in full
Alongside the announcement of Mourinho, Perez said: “This was a great day for Real Madrid.
“We won at every polling station, meaning in every age group. And we achieved the second-best result in the history of Real Madrid elections.
“It’s an extraordinary result. It could have been even better, as almost a thousand votes were invalidated, and we will appeal because we believe we did the right thing.
“We set an example for the world of transparency and coexistence. As president of Real Madrid, I am proud of all of you.
“The members expressed themselves freely to decide the future of the club.
“We will continue to work, remaining proud of the Bernabéu, of one of the best teams in the world and of one of the best coaches in the world, José Mourinho.
“Make no mistake, Real Madrid will continue to belong to its members. You have shown the world what it means to be a Real Madrid fan. The best club in the world is ranked in terms of international reputation.
“We will continue to fight to win our 16th Champions League title.
“I would like to address the members who did not vote for me: I will listen to all your explanations and suggestions.
“We take your concerns very seriously. We will be much closer to our members. We will continue to experience magical nights at the Bernabeu. Together, we still have a lot of history to write.”
Mourinho an unpopular choice at Madrid
Madrid fans have shown their lack of excitement about Mourinho’s return throughout the election campaign.
Polling by MARCA saw 79% of fans say there are better coaches available and Mourinho wouldn’t help Perez’s campaign.
On top of that, he has just one trophy in the last nine years and has become increasingly toxic, including suggesting Vinicius Jr had to take some blame for suffering racist abuse from Benfica fans.
His first stint at the club from 2010 to 2013 also only saw three trophies, on top of spectacular dressing room drama that saw him go to war with club legends Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas.
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