Real Madrid

Emilio Butragueño has returned to Real Madrid as the Club's new Director of Institutional Relations. The former player is delighted with the signing of Kaka and the possibility of having Cristiano Ronaldo on the team.

Why have you accepted the Club's offer?
This is my home. I am a Madridista. I think they way I am will help me do my job well. This project is very appealing to me. I didn't want to work in the sports section. The job I have is important because of the relevance Real Madrid has in the whole world.

Do you think hiring you means that things weren't working out before?
Not necessarily. One shouldn't criticise what happened in the past just for the sake of doing so. A new era with a new President has just begun, and the strategy now is to make the Club successful. All of us at Real Madrid have great responsibility but we also know it is a great honour to represent the Club.

What do you think of Florentino and his project?
He thinks big and he is also a great strategist. He's achieved a lot in very little time. He focuses on something as soon as he believes it is important and he tries to achieve it.

Is it worth to spend 94 million euros on Cristiano Ronaldo?
Everyone thought too much was paid for Zidane in 2001, but no one questions how beneficial that signing was for Real Madrid nowadays. It was worth it for all the things he did at the stadium and for what it meant to the Club. There are 15 or 20 million euro players that don't perform, and others as expensive as Cristiano and Kaka that do. I hope every player Real Madrid signs performs as well as Zidane did. It would be wonderful for the Club.

Do these signings shut the door for academy players?
I honestly believe it is good for players like these to join the team. They will also set a good example for academy players if they happen to be great professionals. It is much worse to sign an outsider that isn't that good. Players like Kaka and Cristiano do a lot for the youth system by acting as role models. Real Madrid should always have players like them.

It is popularly believed that a second parts are never good...
Popular culture is indeed wise, but I am no longer in the sports section. I'm doing a different job now and I hope to do much for the Club.

Are you weary of the press coining the term 'galacticos' again?
We have to make sure the Club is united. We must be solid on an institutional level. We can't avoid the media from saying things, and we must know exactly what it is we have to do. External comments shouldn't affect us as long as we're united. The best Real Madrid in history had players like Di Stefano and Gento. This stadium demands to see the best players in the world. The crowd is used to seeing its team win and playing well, so signing the best players around is a wise decision.