Enrique Cerezo: “Atleti fans will be able to enjoy the New Stadium in 2014-15”
“We’ll be able to organize the Champions League final in that season”
Enrique Cerezo, President of Atlético de Madrid, attended to the media earlier today to discuss current topics relating to the ‘rojiblanco’ side.
To begin, he touched on the New Stadium, and commented that “building a football stadium isn’t something that can be done in 15 days, especially taking in mind the bureaucracy that exists in Spain. I think that we’re a bit behind schedule, but not through our own fault, but rather those of the bureaucracy which is keeping us from beginning these works. We’ve started and are awaiting the final license to be able to undertake the big works, which is to break ground and set the foundations. If all goes well, Atleti fans will be able to enjoy the New Stadium in 2014-15,” he stated.
The journalists wanted to know the name of the New Stadium. The President commented that “I don’t know what it will be called because that company or person that we’re looking for to help us out hasn’t appeared yet. Until they arrive, it will be known as the New Stadium of Madrid.”
Obviously, as it’s a new stadium, he was asked when a Champions League final will be held there. “Interestingly enough, last week we were in Dublin as Europa League champions, where this year’s final will be held. We met with Michel Platini, the UEFA President, who asked us when we were going to open the stadium. I told him the date, and he told us that we could count on the Champions League final that year,” he highlighted.
Concerning the Sports Complex in Alcorcon, Cerezo stated that “it’s going to be the largest in Europe. Nobody has one that is 140 hectares. To do this, we have to apply for more permits, so many that it becomes complicated. I calculate that in 10 or 12 months the new complex will begin construction. We have the land, which is the important thing. The project will take 18 months at the most. It will take less than the stadium because they’re almost all green areas.”
Kia won’t stay on as Atlético de Madrid’s sponsor. He was asked about the Club’s negotiations for the next sponsor and how much the Atlético jersey was worth. “It’s a pity that Kia can’t continue with us due to commercial motives. They’ve been a wonderful sponsor, with whom we’ve had a very good relationship. We’re looking for a new one, which isn’t easy, not because of the amount of Atlético de Madrid’s jersey, but because of the situation of businesses right now. We hope and we’re confident that we’ll have a new shirt sponsor soon, before the end of the season. Our jersey is worth between 5 and 8 million euros. It depends on whether the logo is in color or black-and-white,” he asserted.
Atlético de Madrid signed a partnership with Raja Casablanca of Tangiers on Tuesday. “There’s no part of the world left as we’re in Asia, Africa and we have America, but we have very advanced negotiations with an MLS club and then there’s Mexico and Brazil,” he stated.
Concerning the goals for the current season, after having won a European double in 2010, he was asked if it was a failure to only qualify for the Europa League. “Depends on how you look at it. Two months ago I would have said it was a failure, but now if we qualify, which I think we will, it would be a smaller failure. We had big hopes for this season of finishing in the top three or four and to get back to the Europa League semi-finals. Unfortunately, we had a horrible month of January and a worse February and right now we’re fighting back to earn that spot that will take us to Europe. Therefore, the season hasn’t been either good or bad, but just the opposite.”
The moment arrived to speak about the coach, and whether Quique Sánchez Flores had told the Club whether he’d continue next season. “We’d have liked him to have been son of a footballer, to have coached a good First Division team and for him to have, at least, two European titles,” he said ironically.
With respect to the team’s future, the President highlighted that “we’re not going to move a finger in making any transaction. We have a very good squad and basically 90 percent of it is here now. There might be some re-touching but those who are here will stay here.”
He then spoke about players and was asked whether it was good for a Club that is built around its academy to sell De Gea. “He’s a footballer born from our academy and he’s a magnificent footballer and has two or three years left on his contract. We made him an offer to extend that contract in recent days. I believe that David is in a fantastic situation and we’ll speak at the end of the season and see what his decision is and what can be done.'
He was then asked about a possible return of Fernando Torres to Atlético de Madrid. Cerezo was honest and said that “Players play where they want to play. If Fernando Torres decides that we wants to return to Atlético de Madrid, we’d be delighted because he was one of our star players and a magnificent person. We wouldn’t put up any barrier, but rather the opposite,” he said.
Concerning whether any star will arrive for next season, he asserted that “I don’t know right now, but nobody questions that if a chance to bring a great player comes along, we’re going to do that. We’ve done it in the past and will continue to do so, but we’re not going to move a finger until the season comes to an end.”
The specific Turkish player Arda Turan has been linked to Atlético, and it has been rumored that Diego Forlán will head to Besiktas. With regard to these possibilities, the President stated that “I think that everyone is mistaken because Forlán is an Atlético player and a magnificent footballer. Everyone here is delighted to have him at this Club. There’s no other player in the world who has been Golden Boot twice in four years and best player at the World Cup up till now. And that’s very important for a club. Diego is happy at Atlético de Madrid. He’s had a season that no other player in the top leagues has had. When he recovers mentally, physically and psychologically from all that the World Cup was for him, he’ll get back to being the Diego Forlán that we all want him to be. I don’t know anything about Besiktas. You have to bear in mind that in just the past two months the three sports dailies in Madrid have linked 250 players willing to come to Atlético de Madrid. And we can’t have more than 25, so the other 225 won’t be able to play,” he pointed out.
With respect to whether it would be possible to see Atlético de Madrid breaking the reign of Real Madrid and Barcelona, he stated that “we always try to compete with the best. We have a budget that is already very large and no team can compete with others that have a budget that is five times bigger. Money isn’t everything in the world of sports and many times luck plays a big factor as well.”
To finish, he was asked whether or not he had an ‘expiration date’ as President of the organization. “We all have an expiration date. But mine could last a long time because it comes in good packaging. I’ve been told I’m still young.”
To begin, he touched on the New Stadium, and commented that “building a football stadium isn’t something that can be done in 15 days, especially taking in mind the bureaucracy that exists in Spain. I think that we’re a bit behind schedule, but not through our own fault, but rather those of the bureaucracy which is keeping us from beginning these works. We’ve started and are awaiting the final license to be able to undertake the big works, which is to break ground and set the foundations. If all goes well, Atleti fans will be able to enjoy the New Stadium in 2014-15,” he stated.
The journalists wanted to know the name of the New Stadium. The President commented that “I don’t know what it will be called because that company or person that we’re looking for to help us out hasn’t appeared yet. Until they arrive, it will be known as the New Stadium of Madrid.”
Obviously, as it’s a new stadium, he was asked when a Champions League final will be held there. “Interestingly enough, last week we were in Dublin as Europa League champions, where this year’s final will be held. We met with Michel Platini, the UEFA President, who asked us when we were going to open the stadium. I told him the date, and he told us that we could count on the Champions League final that year,” he highlighted.
Concerning the Sports Complex in Alcorcon, Cerezo stated that “it’s going to be the largest in Europe. Nobody has one that is 140 hectares. To do this, we have to apply for more permits, so many that it becomes complicated. I calculate that in 10 or 12 months the new complex will begin construction. We have the land, which is the important thing. The project will take 18 months at the most. It will take less than the stadium because they’re almost all green areas.”
Kia won’t stay on as Atlético de Madrid’s sponsor. He was asked about the Club’s negotiations for the next sponsor and how much the Atlético jersey was worth. “It’s a pity that Kia can’t continue with us due to commercial motives. They’ve been a wonderful sponsor, with whom we’ve had a very good relationship. We’re looking for a new one, which isn’t easy, not because of the amount of Atlético de Madrid’s jersey, but because of the situation of businesses right now. We hope and we’re confident that we’ll have a new shirt sponsor soon, before the end of the season. Our jersey is worth between 5 and 8 million euros. It depends on whether the logo is in color or black-and-white,” he asserted.
Atlético de Madrid signed a partnership with Raja Casablanca of Tangiers on Tuesday. “There’s no part of the world left as we’re in Asia, Africa and we have America, but we have very advanced negotiations with an MLS club and then there’s Mexico and Brazil,” he stated.
Concerning the goals for the current season, after having won a European double in 2010, he was asked if it was a failure to only qualify for the Europa League. “Depends on how you look at it. Two months ago I would have said it was a failure, but now if we qualify, which I think we will, it would be a smaller failure. We had big hopes for this season of finishing in the top three or four and to get back to the Europa League semi-finals. Unfortunately, we had a horrible month of January and a worse February and right now we’re fighting back to earn that spot that will take us to Europe. Therefore, the season hasn’t been either good or bad, but just the opposite.”
The moment arrived to speak about the coach, and whether Quique Sánchez Flores had told the Club whether he’d continue next season. “We’d have liked him to have been son of a footballer, to have coached a good First Division team and for him to have, at least, two European titles,” he said ironically.
With respect to the team’s future, the President highlighted that “we’re not going to move a finger in making any transaction. We have a very good squad and basically 90 percent of it is here now. There might be some re-touching but those who are here will stay here.”
He then spoke about players and was asked whether it was good for a Club that is built around its academy to sell De Gea. “He’s a footballer born from our academy and he’s a magnificent footballer and has two or three years left on his contract. We made him an offer to extend that contract in recent days. I believe that David is in a fantastic situation and we’ll speak at the end of the season and see what his decision is and what can be done.'
He was then asked about a possible return of Fernando Torres to Atlético de Madrid. Cerezo was honest and said that “Players play where they want to play. If Fernando Torres decides that we wants to return to Atlético de Madrid, we’d be delighted because he was one of our star players and a magnificent person. We wouldn’t put up any barrier, but rather the opposite,” he said.
Concerning whether any star will arrive for next season, he asserted that “I don’t know right now, but nobody questions that if a chance to bring a great player comes along, we’re going to do that. We’ve done it in the past and will continue to do so, but we’re not going to move a finger until the season comes to an end.”
The specific Turkish player Arda Turan has been linked to Atlético, and it has been rumored that Diego Forlán will head to Besiktas. With regard to these possibilities, the President stated that “I think that everyone is mistaken because Forlán is an Atlético player and a magnificent footballer. Everyone here is delighted to have him at this Club. There’s no other player in the world who has been Golden Boot twice in four years and best player at the World Cup up till now. And that’s very important for a club. Diego is happy at Atlético de Madrid. He’s had a season that no other player in the top leagues has had. When he recovers mentally, physically and psychologically from all that the World Cup was for him, he’ll get back to being the Diego Forlán that we all want him to be. I don’t know anything about Besiktas. You have to bear in mind that in just the past two months the three sports dailies in Madrid have linked 250 players willing to come to Atlético de Madrid. And we can’t have more than 25, so the other 225 won’t be able to play,” he pointed out.
With respect to whether it would be possible to see Atlético de Madrid breaking the reign of Real Madrid and Barcelona, he stated that “we always try to compete with the best. We have a budget that is already very large and no team can compete with others that have a budget that is five times bigger. Money isn’t everything in the world of sports and many times luck plays a big factor as well.”
To finish, he was asked whether or not he had an ‘expiration date’ as President of the organization. “We all have an expiration date. But mine could last a long time because it comes in good packaging. I’ve been told I’m still young.”