Raul eyes UEFA honour

Real Madrid ace Raul Gonzalez is expected to pick up an award from UEFA for being the best European striker of the 2000-01 season.

The Gala ceremony is due to take place in Monte Carlo on Friday and six awards will be presented: to the best goalkeeper, best defender, best midfielder, best striker, best coach and best overall player.

Raul, who finished last season as the Primera's "Pichichi" with 23 goals, is up for two awards: he will contest the best striker prize with Bayern Munich's Giovanne Elber and Arsenal's Thierry Henry, while the best European player of 2000-01 will be fought by Liverpool's Gary McAllister, Bayern's Stefan Effenburg and the Real Madrid hitman.

Real Madrid coach Vicente Del Bosque is also listed as one of the three top trainers of the past season; the other two candidates are Liverpool's Gerard Houllier and Bayern's Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Luis Figo, meanwhile, is in the running for best midfielder along with former Valencia skipper Gaizka Mendieta and Arsenal's Patrick Vieira.

Raul, Del Bosque and Figo will not be present at the awards ceremony, as all three will be gearing up for Saturday opening game of the season, a hugely anticipated run-in with high-flyers Valencia at the Mestalla.