Real Madrid News
Real Madrid legend confirms he won’t be a part of Enrique Riquelme’s candidacy
Sunday is going to be a big one for Real Madrid as the club gears up for its first presidential election in 20 years.
Spanish businessman Enrique Riquelme has emerged as the big challenger to Florentino Perez’s throne, though the odds are substantially against him.
Riquelme has been trying to collect support by partnering with Real Madrid legends of the past, and has already received support from Iker Casillas, Fernando Hierro and former coach Vicente del Bosque.
Recent reports have claimed that Riquelme is also trying to speak to Toni Kroos, in an attempt to bring him back to Santiago Bernabeu.
Kroos rejects the claim
However, Kroos has categorically denied these rumours as directly and nonchalantly as possible.
Reacting to a post on X about the initial rumour from COPE, Kroos reposted with three lying face emojis.
This should clear the air around Kroos, effectively confirming that he has no interest in being a part of Riquelme’s candidacy. It will come as a blow for the latter, just a day before the election.
Will Kroos return to Real Madrid?
Kroos denying links with Riquelme does not necessarily mean he won’t return to Real Madrid.
In fact, the rumour mill has been flooded with talk of Kroos’ return in a technical role. The German shares an excellent relationship with Perez, who is the undisputed favourite to win the election.
Once Perez retains power, it is likely he will double down on his attempts to bring back Kroos in a mentorship role, if not a part of Jose Mourinho’s team.
Kroos harbours immense love and respect from Real Madrid fans, and his presence on the touchline could go a long way in aiding Real Madrid’s confidence heading into the new season.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
