Riquelme: We Will Contact Klopp If I Win the Elections

The electoral campaign of Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme issued an official statement, announcing that Jürgen Klopp would be the candidate to take over the team if he wins the elections against Florentino Perez.

The statement read: "A club like Real Madrid must make its sporting decisions through the person responsible for doing so, and since the arrival of Raúl González Blanco, our sporting director and the player who has worn our shirt the most in history, this responsibility falls on him."

It added: "Raúl is already working intensively on building the sports project that should define the next decade for the club, focusing on the academy (La Cantera) as one of its main pillars."

It continued: "If Raúl is managing the sports sector, then this decision is Raúl's alone, and since his arrival, Raúl has conveyed to us only one name to take over the team, the name of a coach who has created an era in world football."

It went on: "A man who won the UEFA Champions League, brought Liverpool back to the top of Europe and England after decades of waiting, turned Borussia Dortmund into a champion against economic giants, and left everywhere he went something more important than titles: identity, character, leadership, and a winning culture based on collective effort. We are talking about one of the best coaches of our time."

It added: "Above all, we are talking about a leader capable of restoring competitive intensity, daily commitment, professionalism, merit-based achievement, locker room cohesion, and a passion for meticulous work to Real Madrid; these are the features that have always distinguished the great phases in our history, this coach is Jürgen Klopp."

It emphasized: "We know that Klopp has publicly stated that he does not intend to return to coaching in the short term and that he has declined numerous offers. For this reason, precisely, we believe that the challenge of Real Madrid is different, because while there are many great clubs, there is only one Real Madrid, there is only one institution capable of combining authenticity and future, values and ambition, passion and excellence."

It continued: "Therefore, if the members grant me their trust this Sunday (election day), next Monday, June 8, Raúl González Blanco will contact Jürgen Klopp to personally convey our sports project and our desire for him to lead a new era for Real Madrid from the bench, aligning this decision from the sports management with the sentiments of thousands of members and Madrid fans with whom I had the opportunity to dialogue over these past two weeks."

It explained: "Madridistas know that the coming years will be crucial for our institution; it is time to open a new phase based on the institutionalization and professionalism of all club sectors, on sports excellence, modern and transparent management, and the defense of the values that have made Real Madrid the largest sports entity in the world."

It concluded: "As the upcoming president of Real Madrid, my commitment is clear: to surround myself with the best, to listen to those with the greatest knowledge, and to always make decisions with the sole thought of the club's and its members' interests, with humility, serenity, and immense passion for the future, we are ready to bring back everything that made Real Madrid eternal: the ambition to win, the culture of giving, and the firm belief that no challenge is impossible for this emblem."