Spanish media pans Real stars
In recent years which have seen global superstars arrive by the van load, is has not been often that the Madrid media come to bury, rather than praise, nine-times European champions Real Madrid.
In recent years which have seen global superstars arrive by the van load, is has not been often that the Madrid media come to bury, rather than praise, nine-times European champions Real Madrid.
But a week before the league season begins poison pens were targetting the club on Monday in an attempt to bring Real's galacticos back into orbit.
Sunday's 2-1 Spanish Super Cup first leg loss to Real Mallorca scarcely registers on the Richter scale of sporting humiliations and Real will be hot tips to overturn the deficit on Wednesday at their own imposing Bernabeu stadium.
However, even the most desultory of glances at the headlines would not have made happy reading for coach Carlos Queiroz, England star David Beckham or ambitious club president Florentino Perez.
Beckham, who cut a disconsolate figure when Queiroz hauled him off after 53 minutes and sent on want-away French international Claude Makelele to add some much-needed bite and shape, may have some linguistic progress still to make as he traverses the settling-in phase.
Yet fluency in the language was barely a requirement to understand the vitriol which surfaced in the AS sports daily as a paper normally rather more flattering to the club blasted the team's "galacticos."
"There was a galaxy (of stars on show). But there was no team. It was a galactic debacle," AS stormed as Real contrived to squander a lead handed them by Luis Figo from a Beckham corner.
The Barcelona media have been known to ignore Real altogether in times of triumph by the 'meringues' - and not just those achieved at Catalan expense.
But the Madrid scribes took the gloves off as they laid into the side for its poor showing.
"There's tactical chaos in Queiroz's team. The doubts are creeping in and are contagious," AS said in a biting analysis which was damning throughout.
"Madrid have the same old problems which can be summed up by an absolute lack of competitive tension - with the exception of glamour games at Old Trafford, Munich and the Nou Camp."
The Marca daily was more succinct, but no less negative in its assessment.
"Mallorca laid bare Real's deficiencies and drew first blood."
While Queiroz sought to limit the damage by promising that "at the Bernabeu we will have more rhythm, we can play well and win the SuperCup," AS suggested the club's star names were unused to criticism.
For those galacticos back in earthly orbit who dared to open the page Monday that, at least, will no longer be the case as they seek redemption on Wednesday.