Spanish Businessman Competes with Perez for Real Madrid Presidency

The Spanish businessman Enrique Riquelme is considering running for the presidency of Real Madrid, following the surprising announcement about the imminent call for elections within the club, after statements made by the current president, Florentino Perez.

According to Spanish reports, Riquelme, 37 years old, was surprised by the decision to call for elections while traveling from Panama to Mexico, where he currently resides, after concluding a major investment deal related to his group "Cox Energy."

Sources indicated that the past few hours have seen intensive movements by the Spanish businessman, who has decided to travel to Madrid in the coming hours to hold meetings with his close team in order to assess the chances of officially entering the electoral race.

Riquelme had previously hinted at the idea of running in the 2021 elections before retracting, but in recent years, he continued to build a future project related to the royal club, while expanding his relationships within Madrid circles.

The legal and financial conditions represent a significant obstacle for any potential candidate, as within just ten days, a board of directors comprising at least nine members must be formed, along with providing a financial guarantee equivalent to 15% of the club's budget, which is approximately 187 million euros.

Riquelme is legally eligible to run for the presidency of Real Madrid, as he has been a member of the club for over 20 years. He also belongs to a well-known Madrid family, with his father having been a former board member under former president Ramon Calderon.