Real Madrid in poor shape for season opener
Friday, 24 August 2007
MADRID, Aug 23 (AP): Two months after winning a record 30th Spanish league title, Real Madrid kicks off the 2007-08 season against crosstown rival Atletico in a state of anxiety.
Bernd Schuster, who replaced the fired Fabio Capello in July to become Madrid's seventh coach in four years, has so far failed to make an impact.
Madrid hopes the arrival of the former Getafe coach will herald an era of offensive play and contrast with Capello's gritty but unspectacular brand of soccer.
But concerns grew last Sunday with a 5-3 loss to Sevilla at home, which cost the team the Spanish Supercup and represented its sixth loss of the offseason.
"We're still a long way off from playing well," new Madrid forward Javier Saviola said. "We need to change our outlook and we have to do it quick because we have only a few days left before we play Atletico."
Schuster's lineup at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Saturday will be much changed from the one Capello picked for the final day of the season when Madrid lifted its first major trophy in four years.
With David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Ivan Helguera and Jose Antonio Reyes all gone, Saviola, Wesley Sneijder and Royston Drenthe together with central defenders Pepe and Christoph Metzelder will all be hoping for inclusion.
There could also be a place for newcomers Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze, whose signings from Chelsea and Manchester United Wednesday took Madrid's total expenditure in the offseason to about euro120 million (US$163 million).
With Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas doubtful, Jerzy Dudek, who joined from Liverpool, could make his Spanish league debut.
Seeking its first league win over Madrid since 1999 will be a new-look Atletico, which in the offseason lost captain Fernando Torres to Liverpool. Attacking midfielders Luciano Galletti and Martin Petrov have also left.
Bernd Schuster, who replaced the fired Fabio Capello in July to become Madrid's seventh coach in four years, has so far failed to make an impact.
Madrid hopes the arrival of the former Getafe coach will herald an era of offensive play and contrast with Capello's gritty but unspectacular brand of soccer.
But concerns grew last Sunday with a 5-3 loss to Sevilla at home, which cost the team the Spanish Supercup and represented its sixth loss of the offseason.
"We're still a long way off from playing well," new Madrid forward Javier Saviola said. "We need to change our outlook and we have to do it quick because we have only a few days left before we play Atletico."
Schuster's lineup at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Saturday will be much changed from the one Capello picked for the final day of the season when Madrid lifted its first major trophy in four years.
With David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Ivan Helguera and Jose Antonio Reyes all gone, Saviola, Wesley Sneijder and Royston Drenthe together with central defenders Pepe and Christoph Metzelder will all be hoping for inclusion.
There could also be a place for newcomers Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze, whose signings from Chelsea and Manchester United Wednesday took Madrid's total expenditure in the offseason to about euro120 million (US$163 million).
With Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas doubtful, Jerzy Dudek, who joined from Liverpool, could make his Spanish league debut.
Seeking its first league win over Madrid since 1999 will be a new-look Atletico, which in the offseason lost captain Fernando Torres to Liverpool. Attacking midfielders Luciano Galletti and Martin Petrov have also left.