Real told to dig for pride after a fall
Real Madrid's loss at Espanyol brought a numbing end to a miserable week whose only positive outcome has been the realisation that some soul-searching and a collective look in the mirror are overdue.
Real Madrid's loss at Espanyol brought a numbing end to a miserable week whose only positive outcome has been the realisation that some soul-searching and a collective look in the mirror are overdue.
Despite Wednesday's Champions League mauling at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen a victory at Espanyol would have made it a maximum nine points from three games - not a bad haul for a side playing well below its best.
Instead, not even the most biased of Real supporters can claim the start to the new season has been anything other than poor, comprising two mundane single-goal wins and two high-profile losses.
Now, professional pride is at stake, according to defender Michel Salgado, who along with Argentine stopper Walter Samuel added insult to injury Saturday in getting himself sent off.
"Sometimes you don't get the rub of the green. But now is the time to show our pride. You have to surmount obstacles and work at things," Salgado told Real's official website realmadrid.com.
"We have to work at ironing out mistakes. We have a new coach and are taking new things on board," Salgado explained.
"But it is only the beginning of the season."
Coach Jose Antonio Camacho now has to rally the troops for Tuesday's encounter with Osasuna.
Camacho, who Sunday held long discussions with his trio of "captains" Raul, Roberto Carlos and Salgado, at least cannot be accused of shirking tough decisions.
As calls grow in the British media for England coach Sven Goran-Eriksson to bench the iconic David Beckham on Saturday Canacho decided to leave the Real midfield star on the sidelines for almost an hour against Espanyol.
Camacho, who also rested the out-of-form Raul, gave Juan Fran a chance in Beckham's place, but without the injured Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo the Real machine was unable to get out of third gear.
Michael Owen was unable to shine on his first league start and gave way to Fernando Morientes in the second half.
Neither looked like getting their side a result and the "disease" even spread to Ronaldo as the Brazilian missed a penalty.
"I didn't see Real Madrid play football," was Camacho's verdict.
Samuel, who will next month finally get to link up with England centre back Jonathan Woodgate in the Real back four, tried to hit an optimistic note Sunday.
"A few wins on the trot and this wave of criticism will pass," said the Argentine as much in hope as expectation.
"Results will come if we stick together and pull in the same direction," he added.
But Osasuna will scent their chance Tuesday at the Bernabeu with Zidane, Woodgate and Borja still out.
In addition, a goalkeeping crisis now looms, first choice Iker Casillas having injured a finger in Saturday's warm-up while replacement Cesar promptly injured his right ankle and could be out for three weeks.
Having only crept into the Champions League last season after finishing fourth in La Liga on the back of five straight defeats Real's suffering was likely to be exacerbated Sunday as in-form city rivals Atletico Madrid went up against a Barcelona side also in the mood for honours this campaign.