Florentino Pérez is re-elected president of Real Madrid after winning the club’s presidential election, which is described as the first contested vote in 20 years. Sources report that his challenger, Enrique Riquelme, lost the election following a voting process that faced delays after Riquelme challenged the validity of roughly 1,000 postal votes, with hundreds later struck off. Pérez, who has served two spells as president and campaigns for another term, wins an overwhelming majority of the vote in reported results and is set to remain in the role until 2030, according to several outlets.
With Pérez retaining the presidency, multiple sources say that José Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid as head coach. The Guardian and others report that Pérez confirms Mourinho’s appointment if re-elected and that Madrid is expected to formally announce him after the election, potentially on Monday. Al Jazeera describes Mourinho returning on a three-year deal. The Guardian also reports Madrid would pay Benfica a €15 million release fee for Mourinho. Pérez’s stated plans for the club include selling a stake of the club (reported as 5%) and reshaping the membership model.
