Who is Florentino Perez

Florentino Perez Rodriguez splits his time between Spain's largest construction company, Grupo ACS (Actividades de Construccion y Servicios) and the world's most valuable sports team, Real Madrid. 

Perez essentially invented Real Madrid's modern business model, signing major stars like David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane in his first tenure as president, between 2000 and 2006, boosting commercial revenues and making the team number one in terms of worldwide sales. 

Re-elected in 2009, Florentino's Real Madrid outpaced Manchester United to become the world's most valuable soccer club in 2013. Florentino has also been president and CEO of Grupo ACS since 1997. 

He owns a 12.5% stake in the global construction company and his current net worth is estimated at $1.64b.

Pérez first ran for the presidency of Real Madrid in the 1995 election and campaigned on the poor financial situation of the club and the alleged mismanagement by the board. On that occasion he lost to the much loved incumbent Ramón Mendoza.

His second attempt was more successful when he took over as president in 2000, beating the current chairman at that time, Lorenzo Sanz. 

In his campaign Pérez also promised the incredible - to bring in Luís Figo from Barcelona – which played a key role in the outcome of the elections. He was then re-elected in 2004 on a similar platform – a policy to bring some of the best football players in the world to Real Madrid each season. 

The strategy became made the Real Madrid squad became known as Galácticos. 

In 2001, Zinedine Zidane was signed from Juventus for a then-world record transfer fee of €73.5 million. A move that was followed in 2009 with Ronaldo, after short periods of David Beckham and Michael Owen playing at the club in their later years. The Brazilian superstar Robinho was also signed in 2005 but failed to impress and was off loaded to Manchester City.

In the first Perez Presidency Real Madrid won two Spanish Championships and a record ninth Champions League trophy. The club also sold the valuable Ciudad Deportiva training ground in central Madrid and cleared the club’s outstanding debt.

In the 2002–03 season, Pérez decided not to renew Vicente del Bosque's contract, despite Real capturing a 29th La Liga title. The move led to the departure of a number of the old guard including Fernando Hierro, Fernando Morientes, Steve McManaman and Claude Makélélé.

Regardless increased financial success came the club’s way as it exploited marketing potential around the world, especially in Asia and North America. However, increasing criticism for the marketing of the brand and not enough success on the football pitch, saw Perez resign in 2006, acknowledging that the team and the club needed a new direction.

Amidst the economic crisis Pérez was the only one able to provide the €57,389,000 guarantee necessary to run for the presidency in 2008

In 2013 Pérez was awarded a fourth term as the Real Madrid president and brought in PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti – one of only six people to have lifted the European Champion Clubs' Cup as both a player and coach. Also the second manager, after Bob Paisley, to win the trophy three times. As a player he won back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1989 and 1990.

Pérez also brought Welsh footballer and PFA Player of the Year Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur for €100m - again breaking the world record. 

Florentino also announced Real is seeking to sell the naming rights for its stadium and looking for a sponsor for the €400 million project. The proposed design of the stadium renovation, produced by German architects GMP, was unveiled in 2014. 

The new design includes a retractable roof, with the overall cost of around €400m likely to be met half via the sale of naming rights and half via a bond issue to Real members. 

"We want to make the Santiago Bernabéu the best stadium in the world".

The same season proved a resounding success, as Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey and its much sought after tenth Champions League title – La Decima

In 2015 Ancelotti’s contract was not renewed and his replacement was former Liverpool, and Napoli manager Rafa Benitez – and local boy come good - who joined last June.

On January 4th 2016 Zinedine Zidane replaced Rafa.

It has been a long-time dream of Florentino Perez that a former Galactico manage the Galacticos. The most decorated French footballer now gets that chance and Perez will hoe that he does not have a Materazzi moment.

Factfile - Florentino Perez

Age: 68

Source of Wealth: construction, Self-Made

Residence: Madrid, Spain

Citizenship: Spain

Marital Status: Married

Children: 3 

#12 billionaire in in Spain

Last five Real Madrid managers
Win percentage
Juande Ramos 2008-2009 66%
Manuel Pellegrini 2009-2010 75%
Jose Mouirnho 2010-2013 72%
Carlo Ancelotti 2013-2015 75%

Rafael Benitez 2015-2016 68%

Related articles

• The rise, fall and resurrection of Deportivo La Coruna
• Euro 2016 draw sees France take on Romania in opener, defending champion Spain faces Czech Republic in first test
• Euro 2016 on TV: BBC and ITV announce broadcast schedule for next summer's finals
• Will Louis van Gaal get the sack?
• David Beckham Shows Off Jedi Skills
• The Young Entrepreneur: Now a popular career choice for teens, but how many are the real deal?

Patrick Ekeng 1990 - 2016 #RIP

Cameroon International Patrick Ekeng has died after collapsing on the pitch during a match with his Romanian club Dinamo Bucharest.

The 26-year-old defensive midfielder fell to the ground without any contact with another player just seven minutes after coming on as a substitute during a league game against Viitorul Constanta.

Ekeng, who joined the Romanian club in January, was rushed to hospital where staff were unable to resuscitate him.

"Resuscitation attempts were made for an hour and half without success," Dinamo team doctor Liviu Paltinean told journalists.

Fans of the Bucharest club gathered outside the hospital late into the night to express their grief at the player's death.

"I can't believe it. It's a nightmare. For me, for the team and for all Dinamo supporters. It's too much," said club executive director and former player Ionel Danciulescu.

In 2003, Cameroon international midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe died after collapsing during a Confederations Cup match against Colombia in France.

#RIP

Related articles

• Europe's 53 best free transfers this summer: The players from across Europe available for nothing
• Chelsea set to bring super talented midfielder as Conte's first signing
• Moscow says plans to create NATO's "Black Sea flotilla" undermine regional security
• Arsenal Transfers: 3 Defensive Midfielders Who Would Boost Gunners' Options
• The eight best players from across Europe Swansea City could sign for absolutely nothing this summer
• Arsenal transfer news: Alexis Sanchez 'wanted by Bayern Munich' as Bundesliga club make initial enquiry

Coleman Believes Bale will Stay

Chris Coleman believes Gareth Bale will stay at Real Madrid - and that Wales will benefit from the forward’s decision. The 26-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United but Wales manager Coleman is convinced Bale’s future lies with the Spanish side.

Coleman, speaking after the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying draw in St Petersburg, said: “Gareth will do what he wants to do, he’s good enough to play for any team on the planet but I think he will probably end up staying at Madrid and who would blame him for that?

“There is pressure in playing for Real Madrid but Gareth is one of those players who can handle that. The demands of playing in the Premier League and the demands of playing in La Liga are different. From our point of view we get a fresh Gareth Bale – if he’s in the English Premier League physically it’s more demanding.”

Coleman also rejected claims that Bale’s contribution to Wales is so great that they are effectively a one-man team.

“No one has ever said that to me and anyone who has ever seen us play would not say that. We have a lot of talent in our team, all our success has been down to a team ethic and Gareth fits into that. We are difficult team to play against, we are hard to break down and we have goalscorers and match-winners.

“We have also got a group of 11 players on the pitch who are prepared to defend for their lives. If you look at our record in this European campaign so far we have conceded one penalty and one free-kick. You can’t be a one-man team with a defensive record like that.”

Read more

Wales’ only appearance in the World Cup finals was in 1958, but they were drawn as top seeds in Group D along with the Republic of Ireland, Austria, Serbia, Moldova and Georgia.

Coleman, who added he would focus on qualifying for Euro 2016 in France before thinking about a new deal to take him through to Russia, said: “It’s a long time isn’t it? First and foremost we have got to take care of qualifying for France. After we know our fate with France we can start concentrating on the World Cup but we know it has been a long time since 1958 and we know we have got a lot of work to do in the Euros yet.

“It’s been widely-publicised my contract is coming up at the end of the Euros and we are all just keeping our eye on that tournament because we can’t afford to start thinking too far ahead. There is a lot of work to be done and once we know our fate we can start thinking about everything else.”

Related articles

• Coleman: bale will stay with real
• Manchester United transfer update: Louis van Gaal planning Gareth Bale move and Bayern Munich star linked
• Manchester United FC launch fresh £100m bid for Gareth Bale - reports
• PSG agree deal for Manchester United's Di Maria, Mourinho blocks Chelsea's Mikel sale - Sunday's top transfer stories
• Chris Coleman: 'Gareth Bale should stay with Real Madrid'
• Sunderland transfer targets: Black Cats linked with Sweden winger Abil Bahoui, who is heading for Al-Ahli

Perez Rules Out Mourinho Call

Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez, has ruled out an immediate return to the club for José Mourinho and insisted he is happy to stick with under-fire manager Rafael Benítez for now.

Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea on Thursday after a disastrous defence to their title defence, with technical director Michael Emenalo revealing that the decision had been taken due to “palpable discord” between the manager and his players.

But asked whether he might consider reappointing the Portuguese, who spent three seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu between 2010 and 2013, Pérez was adamant Benítez would remain at the helm.

“No one knows the future but right now no, because we have Rafa Benítez and we are not thinking beyond Rafa,” he told the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

“We hired Benítez to sort out a specific problem. He was the right man among the many possibilities that we had. And if we believed that he was the right man at the start of the season we can’t three months later say he is not.

“We have a great coach. Rafa is the person that we have chosen and we have to let him work with the collaboration of all the players. I talk to the players and it is not true that they do not get on with him.”

Asked whether he looked back fondly on Mourinho’s spell at the club, Pérez added: “I have good memories of Mourinho. He raised our competitive level. When Mourinho came we had been knocked out for six straight seasons in the round of 16 of the Champions League and we were 13th in the Uefa rankings, and when he left we were number one and we made it to three consecutive semi-finals always losing in unlucky circumstances.

“He gave us a competitive boost. But all coaches come and they all have to go. [Vicente] Del Bosque, Mourinho. The job wears them out and you need to change.”

The former France international Zinedine Zidane has been mooted as a potential replacement for Benítez but Pérez claimed that was unlikely to transpire. 

“Zidane will be a great coach and I’m sure if he wants to be Madrid coach then he will be, but not today.”

Related articles

• Jose Mourinho's return to Real Madrid is 'closer' after Chelsea sacking, says ex-president Ramon Calderon
• Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Eden Hazard and James Rodriguez Rumours
• Chelsea departure a repeat of Jose Mourinho pattern
• Almost every big soccer club is having manager drama at the same time
• Jose Mourinho not returning to Real Madrid, says Florentino Perez
• Mourinho not returning to Madrid says Florentino Perez

Dazzling Draxler Stuns Real Madrid

Wolfsburg - Getty Images

Wolfsburg stunned an out-of-sorts Real Madrid by comfortably beating the Spanish team in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

The hosts were awarded a controversial penalty when Casemiro was deemed to have fouled Andre Schurrle, and Ricardo Rodriguez converted from the spot.

Real were poor defensively and a rapid attack ended with Bruno Henrique setting up Max Arnold for the second.

The visitors created little, but should have been awarded a penalty early on.

Defeat was Real's first in a Champions League quarter-final since 2004, and leaves the 10-time winners needing a vastly improved performance in the return leg at the Bernabeu next Tuesday.

The Spaniards last overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit in European competition in 1987, when they beat Red Star Belgrade in the quarter-finals of the European Cup.

Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking said his players would try to "annoy" Real, and the questionable penalty awarded by referee Gianluca Rocchi would certainly have irked the Spaniards.

But despite the fortuitous circumstances in which they took the lead, the quarter-final debutants deserved their first-leg advantage and could have scored more, so awful were Real in defence.

Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, in particular, were to blame for the second goal, which Arnold side-footed home from six yards.

Moments earlier, Arnold had nicked the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo inside his own half and was allowed to surge 60 yards unchallenged before nearly putting Schurrle through.

After the break, Schurrle should have done better when through on goal, while substitute Max Kruse forced a fine save from Keylor Navas in the dying minutes.

Real boss Zinedine Zidane said his team would treat the match "like a final" but his men were a shadow of the side that beat Barcelona in El Clasico at the weekend.

Ronaldo made his 124th Champions League appearance, taking him to joint sixth in the all-time list

Zidane made just one change to the team that ended Barca's 39-match unbeaten run, yet they could not reproduce Saturday's performance.

Gareth Bale, playing on the left wing, was their most potent player and should have been awarded a penalty when the score was goalless. Ronaldo - making his 124th Champions League appearance - lacked clout, while Karim Benzema hobbled off early in the first half.

It was not a result many would have predicted beforehand, with Wolfsburg losing 3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen - their third game without a win in the Bundesliga, at the weekend.

Seven points adrift of fourth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, they are in danger of missing out on next season's Champions League if they do not win the competition, yet in Julian Draxler and Schurrle the Germans proved they have players who can shine on such a stage.

Once again, the 22-year-old Draxler stood out in a Champions League tie. The Germany international covered more than 10km, made three key passes and was even ever-present when needed in defence, tackling and clearing for his team.

Real boss Zinedine Zidane: 

"I'm not happy with how the game went, especially the first half.

"That's football - that's how difficult it is. That's what happens when you don't play with intensity from the start. We have to rest and think about the return leg because we still have the chance to change everything."

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale: "We're only halfway through the tie so we have time to turn it around. I had a clear penalty on me at the start of the game. I got smashed over.

"No excuses - we weren't good enough. It happens sometimes."

Wolfsburg boss Dieter Hecking: 

"I was laughed at when I said that we may have a chance. Real had their opportunities early on and we were a bit lucky.

"We pulled together, we found the spaces and played very well. Now we will go to Madrid, knowing that we have a chance to advance."

Related articles

• Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid forward appears unhappy with team-mates
• Real Madrid, Chelsea FC to play at the Big House
• Real Madrid summer transfer wishlist: Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane on Zinedine Zidane's radar
• 'Delighted to welcome another beautiful baby daughter' Gareth Bale shares touching image of new arrival
• Zinedine Zidane will be top manager but maybe not at Real Madrid, says Youri Djorkaeff
• FIFA 16 International Position Changes Confirmed

O'Neill Sees Forest in Leicester

Martin O'Neill says he can see shades of the Nottingham Forest side that became English and European champions in the 1970s in the current Foxes team.

Leicester, bottom of the Premier League a year ago, are five points clear at the top with seven games to go.

O'Neill played for Brian Clough's Forest when they won the top-flight title in 1978, a year after promotion.

"I see a lot of similarities," he said in a BBC Radio 5 live special.

"There are players I can identify with who are similar in roles they are playing for each side - Riyad Mahrez is a very creative player a bit like John Robertson, your outfield genius, Jamie Vardy looks like Tony Woodcock.

"They are similar with the two players at the back, with Larry Lloyd and Kenny Burns, you could go right through the side and see similarities.

"It is remarkable in this day and age - when big clubs with a lot of money to spend are ruling the roost - for Leicester to come and win this championship would be an almighty achievement."

Republic of Ireland boss O'Neill, who managed Leicester for five years from 1995, was speaking on 'Leicester: The Impossible Team', a 5 live Sport Special to be broadcast on Wednesday.

The 64-year-old was an integral part of the Forest squad that followed up their league title win with back-to-back European Cup victories.

Forest's achievements during that period are largely considered one of football's greatest success stories, and O'Neill believes Leicester City winning the title would be comparable.

"Without question there is romance about the story - people are talking about it all over Europe," he added. "I was in France recently for a Uefa meeting and it was the talk of the evening, people are really taking note.

"It is a great story and if they do it, it would be the story of the century."

'Foxes title would outshine Forest's achievements'

Related articles

• Martin O'Neill breaks the internet during Super Bowl 50 coverage
• Leicester can emulate Forest's 1978 triumph, says O'Neill
• Football Transfer Rumors: Leicester City Winger Riyad Mahrez Keen on Barcelona Transfer This Summer
• Jamie Vardy signs extension, ends Man United, Chelsea transfer gossip
• Manchester City and Leicester City 16/5 to draw Saturday afternoon's Premier League clash
• Chelsea Round-Up : Players demand deal for Hiddink &, Chelsea have to pay record-breaking fee for Italian

Harry Redknapp Takes on Jordan

Former Tottenham and QPR boss Harry Redknapp has been appointed manager of the Jordan national team for their next two games.

Redknapp, 69, will take charge of World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Australia later this month.

He will combine his international duties with the advisory role at Derby to which he was appointed this week.

"This is a fantastic step for the national game in Jordan," said Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.

"Harry is a world class manager with an internationally recognised record at the highest level."

He has also previously managed Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Jordan, who have never qualified for a World Cup, are currently second in their group in the second of three phases of Asian qualifying for the 2018 finals in Russia.

They were previously managed by former England midfielder Ray Wilkins between September 2014 and June last year.

Related articles

• Premier League team of the weekend - by Harry Redknapp
• Harry Redknapp's Premier League team of the weekend
• Arsenal urged to sign Chelsea's John Terry
• Manchester United news: Mourinho to Old Trafford is a done deal, according to former Tottenham manager
• Adebayor: No hard feelings towards Tottenham boss Pochettino but Levy relationship 'wasn't good'

Neville Back into England Squad Room

Getty Images

Gary Neville will help select England’s final squad before Euro 2016 via a conference call from Spain before the Valencia head coach links up with the national team next week.

Neville gave up his media commitments after being appointed manager of Valencia in December, but continued in his role as England coach.

The former England and Manchester United right-back has endured a difficult time at Valencia but will still be joining Roy Hodgson’s squad during the international break as planned.

Neville is currently preparing for an important Europa League last-16 match with Athletic Bilbao, but will spend some of Wednesday afternoon finalising the England squad for the upcoming friendlies in Germany and at home to Holland.

The conference call with Hodgson and coach Ray Lewington will decide the squad that will be announced at Wembley on Thursday, just hours before Valencia look to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit and reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

Neville will also lead Valencia in Sunday’s Primera Division match against Celta Vigo, before travelling to the UK along with England’s performance analysis manager Andy Scoulding, who is working at Valencia as technical coach.

The pair’s commitments in Spain meant they missed last month’s England squad meeting at St George’s Park, where around 40 of the 47 players called up by Hodgson since the World Cup got together.

Danny Welbeck was among those in attendance despite having not played for the national team since last March, but the Arsenal forward’s return to action, and form, means he is set to be included in the squad for this month’s friendlies.

Jack Wilshere attended the get-together but remains sidelined with a long-term leg injury, while his Arsenal team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also absent.

A knee injury means the England captain Wayne Rooney is the biggest name ruled out of this month’s matches, joining his Manchester United team-mates Phil Jones and Luke Shaw on the sidelines.

The United teenager Marcus Rashford is not expected to be included despite his remarkable emergence, but the Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster look likely to be involved after recovering from injury.

Few new faces are expected to make their way into Hodgson’s squad, but the West Ham captain Mark Noble and Leicester’s Danny Drinkwater have been pushing for call-ups.

Hodgson recently said both players were “knocking on the door” and Marc Albrighton, who downplayed his own England chances, believes his team-mate Drinkwater should be included.

“I don’t see why not,” the winger said. “He has been fantastic for us. He has really come into his own. If people are going to be picked on form, then he should be one of the first names on the squad list.”

Hodgson will not be able to call upon Fabian Delph, Danny Ings and Charlie Austin due to injury, but the Newcastle winger Andros Townsend will be hoping to be involved after a hamstring strain.

Everton’s Leighton Baines and John Stones are edging their way back to full fitness, while Ryan Mason is injury-free but struggling to get into the Tottenham line-up on a regular basis.

Related articles

• No need to miss Wayne Rooney when England can call on Tottenham's all-stars
• Rooney injury: bad news for Man Utd but is it good for England?
• Bold Soccer Predictions: Some major reshuffles to happen in 2016/2017 season
• The stats that show Jesse Lingard deserves more credit at Manchester United
• 11 famous sports substitutes who made all the difference
• United keeper De Gea injured in Europa League warm-up