Worry over card-prone Figo

Portuguese superstar Luis Figo's habit of picking up yellow cards is beginning to worry Real coach Vicente del Bosque.

Figo, booked again in Wednesday’s match against Lokomotiv Moscow, was yellow-carded 12 times last season. On the opening day of this season against Valencia he was booked twice, and consequently dismissed, causing him to miss Real’s 1-1 draw with Malaga. Many of the ex-Barcelona winger’s cards are the result of protests after he has been fouled. Indeed, his silky skills mean that he is regularly the most fouled player on the pitch. In the Lokomotiv game he was fouled four times, the same number as Savio and Munitis, but his tendency to make vehement protests, often leads – as it did in Wednesday’s match when he badmouthed a linesman – to him receiving a caution. And Real with so many injury problems, can do without the worry of another suspension for one of their most influential players.