Bernd Reichart, a German manager, is set to join Real Madrid’s senior management – and, according to reports, will take up his post as the new Chief Operating Officer in January 2027.
Real Madrid’s senior management team is set to welcome a German manager very soon. The AS first reported on Thursday evening that Bernd Reichart is set to join the club with the most Champions League titles.
The report was confirmed shortly afterwards by Marca, a newspaper with close ties to the club, citing sources within the organisation. According to the report, Reichart is set to be responsible for stadium management, sponsorship and merchandising.
What is particularly interesting is Reichart’s background. Until recently, the 52-year-old was the driving force behind A22 Sports Management. That company, founded in 2022, played a leading role in driving forward the Super League project – with Reichart acting as CEO. There had therefore already been lively exchanges between Reichart and Real Madrid in the past, including with President Florentino Pérez.
Has lived in Spain since 2003
As is well known, the project – which was heavily criticised, particularly by fans and many clubs – ultimately failed. In February 2026, UEFA and Real finally reached a settlement to end the long-running legal dispute between the two parties.
A different, bigger opportunity opened up for Reichart. The former CEO of RTL Deutschland, who also held a senior position at VOX, has been living in Spain since 2003 and also made a name for himself as the head of Atresmedia between 2004 and 2013. In the late 1990s, Reichart had studied for a time at the University of Salamanca.
The finances of the major clubs have been a major issue in Spain for years. Time and again, arch-rivals Barcelona have struggled to register various new signings ahead of a season due to financial difficulties.
At Real Madrid, on the other hand, things continued to look excellent, even though the past two seasons had been rather dismal in sporting terms. At the heart of the club’s financial strength, Real’s underrated youth development programme continued to shine.
