Macca aims for midfield berth of his own
Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman hopes his Champions' League strike against Anderlecht on Wednesday will cement his place in the Liga side. "I don't like scoring ugly goals. I prefer to score beautiful ones," he said.
Real Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman hopes his Champions' League strike against Anderlecht on Wednesday will cement his place in the Liga side. "I don't like scoring ugly goals. I prefer to score beautiful ones," he said.
The goal in the 2-0 away win was one of Macca's best and further endeared him to the Bernabeu faithful after he half-volleyed into the net from just inside the box following a corner. "It's difficult to play every game but I always want to and I'm happy when I do and when I score," he said.
McManaman's place has been under threat since the summer when Real added France star Zinedine Zidane to a midfield already boasting Luis Figo, Claude Makelele, Savio, Flavio Conceicao, Albert Celades, Guti and Santiago Solari.
But the former Liverpool star is slowly seeing off the competition. He has played four out of eight league matches and three in the Champions' League. He is set to start against Celta Vigo on Ssturday.
Macca, though, still needs to make one of the midfield berths his own, in the way that Figo and Zidane already have. He is desperate to enjoy as successful a third term with the Madrid giants as the first two, where he played 56 league games. "I'm usually always happy but now I'm playing I'm very happy," he said.
The Englishman then attempted to explain the riddle of Real's faltering league form, where they have won just two out of eight games and lie in 16th.
"I don't know what is happening to us in La Liga but the teams are stronger than they were last season and matches against Valencia, Malaga and Betis were harder than the Anderlecht one. It's just getting tougher and tougher."
He nonetheless knows the second phase of the Champions' League will be substantially tougher than the first. "You only get weaker teams in the first phase of the Champions' League. In the next stage there will be teams like Manchester United and Bayern Munich and they are very strong."
Macca then returned his attention to the domestic campaign. "Celta are a strong side and they are difficult to beat. They are also more dangerous than they were last year. We need to win on Saturday because we're eight points behind Deportivo and would prefer not to be any points behind them."
Zinedine Ziadne is to resume league duty as he replaces Albert Celades in midfield after missing last week's 0-0 draw at Alaves with gastroentiritis.
Ivan Helguera may well make his long awaited return to action as he is named as a substitute after two months on the sidelines with a foot injury.
Celta will be pleased with their European exploits as an Alexander Mostovoi hat-trick secured a 3-1 victory over Slovan Liberec in the Uefa Cup second first leg on Thursday.
But Magnolo Berizzo is not underestimating Madrid's current form and believes that Celta will be in for a torrid time in the Bernabeu.
"Real has great players and this so-called crisis could end at any moment," said Berizzo. "The position they occupy in the table does not show how good they really are.
"This will be a very tough game for us and we know that when Madrid click they are formidable."
On Saturday evening Deportivo play host to Sevilla, Real Betis entertain Villarreal, Osasuna go to Real Sociedad and Las Palmas welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Insular.
Barcelona travel to Malaga on Sunday, while Rayo Vallecano are in the San Moix to play Mallorca, Valladolid welcome Alaves, Espanyol play host to Tenerife and Real Zaragoza go to Valencia.