Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz dead at 76 after testing positive for coronavirus
THE FORMER club president of Real Madrid, Lorenzo Sanz, has died at the age of 76 after being diagnosed with coronavirus.
Taken to hospital on Tuesday after experiencing a fever for over a week, he tested positive for the illness and was put in intensive care.
However it was confirmed on Saturday night that Sanz had died.
In the week, one of the businessman’s three sons confirmed his condition had deteriorated with the diabetic suffering kidney failure.
Sanz was a director at Real for a decade after joining in 1985 and was elected club president in 1995 – a position he held for five years.
Famously, the Spaniard oversaw an enormous drought for the LaLiga giants in the Champions League.
Without a title since 1966, Real claimed two titles during his tenure, beating Juventus in the 1998 final before downing Valencia in Paris two years later.
Los Blancos also claimed the 1996/97 LaLiga title during Sanz’s first full season in charge, under the guidance of Fabio Capello.
That was aided by a significant spending spree as the likes of Roberto Carlos, Clarence Seedorf, Davor Suker and Predrag Mijatovic arrived in the Spanish capital.
Sanz famously remarked “Nobody can prevent me from appearing, like Santiago Bernabeu, in the golden history book of the club” before facing Florentino Perez in the club elections of 2000 – a vote he lost amid his rival’s pledge to sign Barcelona star Luis Figo.
Reportedly repulsed at the “cheap shots at buying votes” and instead told fans he would prioritise a deal for up-and-coming Spanish striker Diego Tristan.
Later in his life, Sanz helmed Andalusian club Malaga for four years and gauged one day returning to fight for the Madrid presidency again.
More to follow.