Real love affair not over for Figo - as Solari stays put
Portugese midfielder Luis Figo said his love affair with Spanish giants Real Madrid was not over as he looked forward to his club's opening league encounter at Mallorca.
Portugese midfielder Luis Figo said his love affair with Spanish giants Real Madrid was not over as he looked forward to his club's opening league encounter at Mallorca.
The veteran, who decided to quit the international stage after Portugal's run to the final of Euro 2004, received a standing ovation after Real's Champions League final preliminary round win over Wisla Krakow of Poland on Wednesday and acknowledged the compliment.
"The people here like me and when they are happy with my performance they show it," Figo told reporters.
"I am happy to know that," added the 31-year-old, who was instrumental in ending Spain's Euro 2004 hopes as Portugal knocked his adopted country out in the opening phase.
"I think the ovation was for my performance and not connected to my future," said Figo, who raised eyebrows earlier this summer when he intimated he believed Real would not extend his contract which runs to June 2006.
"I have set my heart on playing top level football this year. In the future we will see what happens. I have two years left at Real Madrid and out of respect for the club I must concentrate on the job in hand."
Figo denied any approaches from England or anywhere else.
"Nobody has spoken to me. If any kind of offer does turn up the club will be the first to know."
On Wednesday Real had to deny any approach by English Premiership club Tottenham, while describing him as one of the club's most important players.
Also staying at Real is Santiago Solari, the man who replaced Figo just ten minutes from the end of the 3-1 win over Krakow, a result which booked group stage Champions League Group B matches against AS Roma, Bayer Leverkusen and Dynamo Kiev.
Media reports have persistently linked Solari with Manchester United but by featuring on Wednesday the player would be ineligible for United in Europe and that appears to have torpedoed any chance of a move to Old Trafford.
"Solari was ten minutes away from United," opined Marca magazine on Friday.
In the past two seasons Solari has also been linked with moves to Inter Milan - as a replacement for Real clubmate Ronaldo - and Lazio came sniffing a year ago.
Real may now lose the player for nothing next summer as Solari, available for a fee in the region of six million euros will then be a free agent.