Football giants Real set for changes as former president takes charge again

Spanish construction magnate Florentino Perez will be sworn in as president of Real Madrid again later today as no other candidate stood against him before the deadline, the club said.

Several challengers who had been expected to oppose him pulled out or were not able to lodge a bank guarantee of 57.4 million euros (81.1 million dollars) required by the club to be able to run for president.

Perez last led Real, Spain's historically most successful team and the world's richest football club by revenues, from 2000 to 2006.

Under his rein Real earned the nickname "Los Galacticos", winning the Primera Liga twice and the European Champions League with such stars as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham.

He officially presented his candidacy on Thursday under the slogan "the dream is back" and said the team he would help build would be world beaters.

"We will build a spectacular team with top-notch players. We have set up a strong and stable sporting project which will be able to call upon footballers who will turn each Real Madrid match into a fascinating rendez-vous," he said.

Perez has not mentioned any names regarding top signings but Spanish media has reported that Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, currently at Villarreal, would become coach in place of Juande Ramos and the club would also land AC Milan's Brazilian playmaker Kaka.

Media reports also constantly speculate that Cristiano Ronaldo, Liverpool's Spanish star Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich's French star Franck Ribery will don the all-white strip next term.

Real has been led on an interim basis by Vicente Boluda, who took the reins of the club after Ramon Calderon stepped down in January following allegations that he rigged voting at the club's last annual general assembly in December.

Had another candidate stood against Perez, elections for president --normally held every four years -- would have taken place on June 14. Real's arch-rivals Barcelona won the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Spanish Cup this season under debutante coach Pep Guardiola.

But in an interview published Sunday in daily newspaper El Pais, Perez said Barcelona's success this season "motivates me even more".

"I do not place any limit on myself," he told the newspaper, adding the club "needs a revolution".

Real ended the season yesterday with a 2-1 loss to lowly Osasuna.

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