Real deal nowhere to be seen on day one

Real Madrid's new coach Fabio Capello was at pains ahead of his side's opening league game against Villarreal to stress that he was not an exponent of creating "boring sides" who know how to win.

After Sunday's goalless draw the boring tag, clinging to a man who spent a decade in Italy before embarking on a second Bernabeu stint, threatens to stick.

And as for how to win, that quality wasn't much in evidence either as Villarreal carved out enough chances to have earned a win bonus.

Brazilian Robinho had a second half chance to settle Real's nerves but sent a shot-cum pass across the face of goal as Villarreal keeper Sebastian Viera and his defenders breathed a sigh of relief.

It was not what the injection of 61 million euros over the summer for Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fabio Cannavaro, Emerson and Mahamadou Diarra was supposed to bring about and the fans loudly whistled their unhappiness with some even leaving before the end.

Real were crying out for the guile of the retired Zinedine Zidane but nobody proved able to supply it.

Van Nistelrooy, left as a sole spearhead, missed two chances and otherwise found the supply lines blocked.

"I am not worried - I told my players (Villarreal) were the worst team we could meet currently as they are physically strong and are playing well."

At least Real did not start at home to champions Barcelona, against whom an opening day potential loss would have had the brickbats being hurled at Capello and his men.

Amid reports that former England star David Beckham is extending his contract by two years the former Manchester United man received a big fat zero from Marca sports daily for a contribution which ended with his giving way to Robinho.

The Madrid-based sports media are wont to believe in the Real hyperbole on occasion but Marca was in merciless mode Monday.

"Capello fulfilled his promise - Madrid are more secure and more boring," the paper summed up.

Capello insisted that "the players did all they could. But we weren't able to change the ryhthm and we were weak in the one on ones."

For Marca, Real did "good work off the ball, but were poor with it."

"It was the same old Madrid," said Barcelona-based El Periodico, while AS sports daily headline read "Capello asks for time."

AS also quoted Real chairman Ramon Calderon as saying Sunday that Braziliann Ronaldo, who missed the match as he is not fit, had personally told him he would be staying with the club, finally squashing speculation of a move back to Italy.

AS had reported Saturday that Ronaldo had told Calderon he felt "capable of scoring 30 goals this season."

With Real looking like a side which will struggle to end three years without a trophy Barca were to travel to Celta Vigo Monday night without Brazilian star Ronaldinho, will miss the game with a leg strain

"Hopefully he will be back soon - absences such as these are always important," said coach Frank Rijkaard, reeling from a 3-0 European Super Cup mauling by compatriots and UEFA Cup winners Seville.