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As the attention of the football world is firmly fixed on the Bernabeu this summer, Real Madrid TV's Duncan McMath gives his view on Florentino Perez's eye-popping return as club president.

It came as no surprise to anyone who reads Marca when Florentino Perez announced his intention to return as Real Madrid president. Even before Ramon Calderon was forced to resign following allegations of electoral vote-rigging, there were plenty of rumours that Florentino fancied his old job back. And when Calderon finally lost his grip there was only one man likely to step up.

In the end there were no elections because once Perez officially revealed that he would stand, nobody else bothered. The majority of Real Madrid fans knew that a certain ex-president was the only man to usher in a new era.

The club and the fans were at a low at the end of last season, with the 6-2 drubbing at home at the hands of Barcelona their lowest ebb. It was such a downer that all the confidence and belief was completely knocked out of the side, and they lost the remaining four games of the season.

Before that defeat they really believed they would catch Barca. Between the two Barcelona games, Madrid cut the deficit at the top from 12 to four points, put together a record-breaking eight consecutive away wins, all while missing a number of key players.

No Real Madrid fan would deny that last season Barcelona were better, but amid the dreams of a last-gasp title win nobody really cared that the club's usual brand of stylish football had gone out of the window.

Juande Ramos's emphasis on hard work was immediately apparent and games were won with stamina and strength rather than skill and flair. But in the end Barcelona were in a league of their own, something that was unacceptable to all Madridistas.

Under those conditions, Perez was a dead cert to resume his old job, but even so it was an exciting day when he was unveiled, a day that fans knew would represent a new era, a new Real Madrid. All over again.

Suddenly Madrid were once again linked with the biggest, the best and, of course, the most expensive, and that is what Madrid fans are used to. There has never been a massive, Chelsea or Manchester City-style cash injection from a billionaire foreigner. Madrid have always attracted the world's best players, since the days of Alfredo di Stefano. That's exactly what the fans demand, and exactly what was missing during the Calderon years.

Perez's return was almost universally well-received by Real Madrid fans, although probably not so much in Barcelona. Madrid 'socios' had watched the best players in the world, week in, week out, when Perez was first in charge.

In fact, right in the middle of the Perez reign there was a Real Madrid v World XI charity game, which proved problematic because the world's best players were all representing the opposition.

In the end mistakes were made and perhaps too much emphasis was put on individuals rather than the team. However lessons have been learned ahead of Perez's second spell at the helm.

But, let's be honest, if you're a fan and you hear that your team are about to buy three or four of the very best footballers in the world, would you complain? I think that Real Madrid fans all over the world are very excited about the coming season.

At Kaka's presentation there were 500 journalists, 50 different TV stations and 40,000 fans - that's more fans than attend most games in La Liga. It was incredible; a massive event on the world stage. And, love it or hate it, that's what Madrid are all about. The biggest, most famous club in the world. Perez wants to attract the world's best and win everything - what fan is going to argue with that?

They've already netted arguably the two most famous names in football today, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, and more will follow. They've won the tug of war for Karim Benzema, and now Franck Ribery is saying that only Madrid tickles his taste buds.

Their total summer spending could exceed 300 million euros; a staggering sum, even for the man who brought Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham to the Bernabeu.

Two very shrewd signings in the midst of the megabucks deals saw Manuel Pellegrini sign up as manager a quiet, well respected coach who worked miracles in getting modest Villarreal playing some of the best football in La Liga - and defender Raul Albiol join from Valencia, proving that the emphasis was on young, up-and-coming recruits as well as world famous goalscorers.

The defence could do with further reinforcements, especially the full-backs, but both Perez and Pellegrini are intelligent men and defensive cover will surely come.

There has been talk that some of the current squad members are annoyed that a host of new faces is being bussed in, but many of the Real Madrid players like Iker Casillas, Raul, Arjen Robben and Ruud van Nistelrooy are used to playing alongside the biggest names in the world.

As a Real Madrid player you have to want to play alongside the best in order to be the best. And they certainly weren't the best last season. Their humbling at the hands of Liverpool in the Champions League and Barcelona in La Liga asked a few questions and highlighted the need for a dramatic change. And the players were very honest, admitting that in the end they were simply not good enough.

Under Calderon the side had won back-to-back titles, but in the Champions League the team haven't got past the first knock-out stage in five attempts and that, more than anything else, meant that change was well overdue. All eyes will be on Madrid's Champions League run next season - until then the fans are more than happy to bask in the knowledge that their club is once again the talk of the town.

Duncan McMath / Eurosport