Beyond the playing squad, Riquelme has also addressed the managerial situation at the Bernabeu, with Alvaro Arbeloa having left the club after the final game of the season. While he refused to disclose the identity or the nationality of his chosen coach, Riquelme insisted that the individual has the pedigree required to lead the 15-time European champions without having a previous association with the club.
Discussing his plans for the bench, Riquelme explained: "We have a coach signed. Let's not talk about nationality; let's talk about experience. We're not going to experiment. We will bring in a proven coach and technical staff, who have never coached Real Madrid before, and I'm sure Real Madrid will be very excited to have them here."