It’s almost a month on from Florentino Perez’s May 12th election call, and the surprise isn’t that he won.
It is still the fact that he found a challenger for his role as the top dog at Real Madrid in such a short space of time.
Perez called out for a battle in that extraordinary late conference where he attacked the media for over an hour.
Not naming Enrique Riquelme, as he’s continued not to, he asked the man with a ‘South American accent’ to run.
Riquelme, based in Mexico, took on the challenge that nobody has bothered with for 20 years.
Perez’s success at Real Madrid has been unparalleled, whether it be his seven Champions Leagues or his ability to spend above the fans’ wildest dreams.
Yet two virtually trophyless seasons put all of that at risk, and so did Riquelme.
Riquelme’s vote far bigger than anyone imagined
In the end the 37-year-old challenger only took 35% of the vote, but in an election where many predicted anything over 10% would’ve been a success, Perez has come out weaker.
Journalist Julio Pulido explained ahead of the voting: “What’s at stake tomorrow is the final result. A 60-40 scoreline isn’t the same as an 80-20 one.
“What’s really being measured tomorrow is the number of members who are unhappy with Florentino.
“If things go badly in the near future, the members will remember Riquelme’s project, and that could complicate Florentino’s situation. For me, this is the key to Real Madrid’s future.”
Bruno Alemany added: “When Florentino started his campaign, he wouldn’t have signed for less than 90%-10%, and I think Riquelme would have been satisfied with 20%.
“I believe that Riquelme would have considered a result of 20% or more, something he hadn’t imagined with such a short campaign.
“Riquelme has had to put together a project in a rush, and I think Florentino thought he wasn’t going to have any rivals and has had to do his homework at the last minute.”
The privatisation of Real Madrid remains the biggest issue
Stressing why Riquelme had success, Antonio Romero thinks it was his focus on Perez’s plans to sell 5% of the club.
“Florentino hasn’t wanted to, or hasn’t been able to, explain the uncertainty surrounding the sale of the club, which I believe is the issue that matters most to the members,” he said.
Also in the short term, Perez’s hire of Jose Mourinho has gone down far worse than the 79-year-old could have ever expected.
Jesus Gallego explained: “There has never been a manager who has arrived at Real Madrid and had so many people from all sectors hoping he would fail like Mourinho does now; even in that respect, he’s The Special One.”
Riquelme has since suggested that he will be back, saying in a concession speech that the members won’t have to wait another 20 years to vote.
Many expect that was his aim from the start, publicity for a later more substantive tilt at the presidency.
Riquelme’s missteps highlighted
Despite those concerns, on the other side of the debate, El Chiringuito’s Josep Pedrerol came out fighting against Riquelme.
Assessing his speech, he said: “Riquelme has to demonstrate his loyalty to Real Madrid, and frankly, his first words weren’t the most affectionate.
“It’s very aggressive to say, ‘I prevented the sale of the club.’ I find it very aggressive, and it makes any kind of rapprochement impossible.
“In reality, whether he likes it or not, he’s lost. What he has to do is say: ‘I’m going to support Florentino or Real Madrid.’ If he starts criticising, the members aren’t going to forgive him.”
Adding of his pitches for the likes of Rodri, Jurgen Klopp and Erling Haaland, he said: “Of all the names he’s mentioned, not one has publicly supported him. Not one. No one has been willing to publicly endorse him.”
However, even Pedrerol had to applaud Riquelme, finishing: “Riquelme has achieved a very good result, which I believe is a punishment for Florentino, it’s commendable.”
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