Real Madrid admit Asian tour in trouble
Real Madrid admitted that their scheduled summer tour of Asia and the United States was in jeopardy after their recent slump in form.
Real Madrid admitted that their scheduled summer tour of Asia and the United States was in jeopardy after their recent slump in form.
Last year's Spanish champions have slipped from having an eight point lead at the end of February to third in the Liga.
They now look likely to have to play in the Champions League preliminary rounds in July and August for the first time.
"It would be inconvenient," Real's director general Jorge Valdano said on television about the impact of finishing outside the top two who automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage.
Real were scheduled to spend three days in the US, starting August 1, and play games in Boston and Los Angeles en-route to Asia.
Following on from the phenomenal success of their Far East tour last summer, which included games in China, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand, Real were looking to visit Japan and Hong Kong again, and one other unspecified country.
Up to five friendly matches had been tentatively planned, with Real returning to Spain provisionally on August 14.
"We could play games in Europe instead and make the same money. The only thing is that we would have to bring back the players early (from their holidays)," added Valdano.
However, financial analysts disagreed with Valdano's sums.
Sports daily As estimated that finishing third in the Spanish first division would cost Real around 10 million euros in lost fees if they have to scrap their Asian tour.
That is around the same amount a badly-needed central defender would probably cost, commentators joked on Monday.
Real hit a new low on Sunday when they went down 2-1 at relegated bottom club Murcia to record a fourth consecutive league defeat.
Real, 29-times Spanish champions and ever-present in the first division since its inception in 1928, have never put together such a sorry streak.
To add to Real's misery, England captain David Beckham was sent off against Murcia.
Beckham will miss the last game of the season on Sunday, against Real Sociedad, with a one match suspension but his ban could be extended into next season as he swore at a linesman.
FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane will also be suspended against the Basques for his accumulation of yellow cards.
"I don't have an explanation for what went on," said Real coach Carlos Queiroz glumly in the wake of Real's latest loss.
Queiroz is scheduled to speak to Real officials about his future next Monday and it is almost certain the Portuguese coach will be leaving the club in the near future.
Former Spanish national coach Jose Antonio Camacho, currently in charge at Portuguese side Benfica, is the favourite to take over from Queiroz for a second spell at the club after a three-week stint in the summer of 1998.