Enrique Riquelme Escalates Campaign With Direct Warning Over Real Madrid Ownership

MADRID — Standing at a podium exterior his firm headquarters, Actual Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme delivered his strongest assertion but towards Florentino Pérez’s imaginative and prescient for the membership’s future, framing the upcoming elections as a decisive battle over the possession of Actual Madrid itself.

Riquelme argued that the feedback from Perez in El Pais confirmed fears that had motivated him to problem the long-time president.

“It’s a sophisticated day,” Riquelme stated. “After studying the interview with the president, Florentino Pérez, in El País, it confirms what some nonetheless doubted and what was the primary cause that moved me to take the step, after 20 years, to unexpectedly run in these Actual Madrid elections. That’s the concern of the membership being offered after greater than 120 years.”

Riquelme learn a prolonged assertion:

“You recognize I don’t normally carry notes, however as we speak is a day after I actually don’t need to go away any element out of this assertion. All these phrases have been rigorously chosen, and I would really like to have the ability to convey them to you. Due to this fact, I’m showing as we speak after studying of Florentino Pérez’s statements to El País, which affirm this concern amongst all of the members.

Florentino Pérez is speaking about promoting to international funds. In different phrases, about beginning to break up what belongs to everybody, to place it within the arms of some. As we speak we all know his plan: to promote part of the membership, he says 5%, to somebody from exterior. To name, as quickly because the polls shut, a managed meeting and a unexpectedly held referendum to vary the possession construction and erase greater than 120 years of the membership’s historical past in a single fell swoop.

He says it’s 5 or 10%, that it’s nothing. Now we have to remind him that he controls simply over 10% of ACS and has complete management of the corporate. The danger isn’t simply how a lot is offered; the chance is opening the door. No person buys a share of the very best membership on the earth for nothing. And the issue isn’t the dimensions of step one, it’s opening the door. As a result of the membership-based membership mannequin, as soon as weakened, doesn’t get well. No European membership that has began this course of has ever reversed course.

Florentino Pérez has crossed a pink line. I pledge to do the alternative. I announce that this week I’ll go to a notary to formalize, with my Board of Administrators, a public doc outlining my marketing campaign promise: I’ll by no means promote any a part of Actual Madrid to a 3rd get together. I publicly invite Florentino Pérez to accompany me to the notary and signal this as properly.

There are dozens of measures to extend income, cut back bills… this week we’ve been discussing a number of of them. Modernizing administration and higher defending our rights, with out abandoning our possession mannequin. The Florentino Pérez of 20 years in the past would by no means have thought of promoting; the Florentino of 20 years in the past wouldn’t have been afraid of a televised debate. Given the seriousness of the state of affairs, I additionally provide this to Mr. Anas Laghrari, who’s behind this sale of the membership.

The members deserve a debate on such an important challenge. These elections are not about Florentino Pérez or Enrique Riquelme. They’re not simply in regards to the social or sporting mannequin, though these are vital too. They’re about whether or not or to not promote the membership. That’s why I’m saying as we speak, with absolute readability, that these elections are not strange elections. These elections are, fairly merely, a referendum on the sale of Actual Madrid.

There’s the privatization possibility and the choice that ensures 100% possession of the membership will stay with its members. Florentino has been an ideal president, however that doesn’t give him the suitable to promote the membership. No person is greater than Actual Madrid, no person; not even Florentino Pérez.

I ask all Actual Madrid followers that the results of these elections ship the clearest doable message: Actual Madrid just isn’t on the market. We’d like the best mobilization in historical past to cease the most important risk to the membership in our historical past. I ask all Actual Madrid members that our voice is price greater than any fund. And that your vote in these elections will resolve the way forward for the membership.“