According to Sport, walking down Rafael Salgado Street next to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium at night, one would notice a particularly bright venue with video displays. This was the headquarters of Enrique Riquelme's campaign team—the entrepreneur who challenged Florentino Pérez in Real Madrid's recent presidential election. Until days before the election, it housed a catering establishment. After the election, Riquelme received 11,814 votes (35%), and the venue will now become the permanent headquarters for his new platform.
Hoping elections continue
Riquelme stated: "For us, this is not the end, but the beginning. It is impossible for Real Madrid not to hold another election within the next 20 years. Members will continue voting every four years. The club's history should be respected, and discussions that haven't happened in the past should be opened. The best approach is to listen to members." He views this defeat as the creation of an alternative to the incumbent president.
Riquelme's team took a break from June 7 until Monday, June 29th, then issued a statement announcing its transformation into a platform aimed at "defending the rights of Real Madrid members in future institutional decisions." The association is open to "members and Real Madrid fans," with the primary goal of "demanding transparency, information, and clarity" regarding financial operations undertaken by the club.
The potential sale of 5% to 10% of Real Madrid to external investors dominated the first half of the campaign. Transfer market news later took center stage. Riquelme's side proposed signing Haaland and Rodri, and promised efforts to bring in Klopp. These promises proved insufficient, and prominent figures like Raúl González, Fernando Hierro, and Vicente del Bosque—associated with his campaign—did not prove decisive factors.
Sale becomes core issue
The club's potential sale was perhaps the topic that gave Riquelme the most political traction. Even some voters who ultimately supported Pérez had reservations about it. Therefore, this remains central to the new platform. "The new institutional, economic, social, and sporting environment facing the club—especially with an upcoming Extraordinary General Assembly and a possible referendum on Real Madrid's sale—underscores the need for a permanent space for communication, dialogue, and proposing solutions," the statement read.
Riquelme's campaign headquarters was located opposite gates 0–6 of the Bernabéu, near Florentino Pérez's campaign headquarters. Pérez's headquarters was dismantled immediately after the election, though traces of the Real Madrid crest that decorated the stadium's exterior wall remain visible. Pérez campaigned under the slogan "There is still a lot of history to write." Riquelme now intends to use this venue to establish a permanent presence.
The platform will officially launch at the start of the 2026/27 season. The statement demands "members' right to receive complete, clear, and verifiable information on any financial operation that could affect the club's future and is of special significance, including those that could alter the club's nature, ownership, or identity."
Organized opposition
According to sports industry sources consulted by Sport, the platform's creation "is necessary" as the club faces competitive pressures in the market. However, Riquelme's focus is more on "how to do it" than "what to do," demanding transparency and member protections before any decision that could restructure the club.
"Real Madrid's statutes establish that the General Assembly is the club's highest governing body, and explicitly state that an Extraordinary General Assembly can decide whether to initiate a referendum among voting members—as demonstrated during the recent election," the platform noted.
The new association aims to provide oversight of major institutional decisions at Real Madrid. Previously, such oversight lacked formal organization beyond stadium protests. This represents an organized opposition to Florentino Pérez, who is pursuing a new sporting direction with José Mourinho while strengthening the squad with signings like Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva.
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