Worrying week awaits Real Madrid coach Luxemburgo
Real Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo is likely to face one of the worst weeks of his professional career after the Spanish giants could only draw 2-2 at Real Sociedad.
Real Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo is likely to face one of the worst weeks of his professional career after the Spanish giants could only draw 2-2 at Real Sociedad.
The nine-times European champions and 29-times Spanish league winners now languish down in sixth place in the Spanish first division.
It is becoming increasingly likely that Luxemburgo will not survive to celebrate the first anniversary of him taking over at the helm of Real, having arrived last December.
"The players didn't save my head but they gave everything," admitted Luxemburgo after Sunday's game, briefly conceding that the knives are now out for him.
Next Saturday's match against neighbours Getafe has now turned into a referendum of Luxemburgo's rule at Real.
"After every game I lose some people are going to have a go at me. The media have got it in for me, but I'm not scared," commented the combatitive former Brazilian national team coach at a press conference on Saturday.
"I accept analysis what I don't like is the personal attacks but I have a contract until June which I am going to see out if I can, " added Luxemburgo.
Nevertheless, Luxemburgo must be now even more worried about his future after a grim eight days when Real's performance on the pitch has generally been as grey as the away strip they wore in San Sebastian on Sunday.
Real were overwhelmed 3-0 in their own Santiago Bernabeu stadium by bitter rivals Barcelona last weekend, their most humiliating defeat in front of their home fans by their fierce foes for more than 30 years.
A lacklustre 1-1 draw in the Champions League against French league leaders Lyon on Wednesday brought Real fans even closer to the point of depair.
White hankerchieves, the traditional Spanish sign of disapproval, were waved forcefully and the Bernabeu echoed to cried of, "out, out, out" at the end of the game.
Real scrambled a point at Real Sociedad on Sunday but only after the home side panicked in the closing stages to let both Raul Bravo and Zinedine Zidane score in the final three minutes.
The question for Real fans, and Real president Florentino Perez if he chooses to replace Luxemburgo mid-season, and hire his fifth coach since the departure of Vicente Del Bosque in the summer of 2003, is who comes next?
Spanish sports daily Marca, Spain's biggest selling newspaper, ran a poll last week asking its readers who they would like to replace Luxemburgo and Del Bosque, who won the Champions League twice in four years, came out on top with 24 per cent.
However, Del Bosque is unlikely to return to the club while Perez is still president after his acrimonious departure, when the building magnate publically said he wasn't modern enough for the club.
The next best choice according to Real fans would be Juventus coach Fabio Capello, who was at Real for one season in 1996-97 and led them to the league title.
The problem regarding Capello is that he still has another 18 months on his contract and will not be able to leave his current employees until next summer at the earliest.
Perez may not want, or be able, to wait that long despite the Italian leaving the door open for an approach.
"It's a pleasure to have my name linked with a club like Real Madrid. I think it's a mistake to go back to a club (where you have been before) but Madrid could be an exception," said Capello on Saturday.
Currently available coaches who have also been placed in Real's orbit by the Spanish media include former Lyon guru Paul Le Guen, who took the club to four consecutive French titles before standing down last summer, and ex-Deportivo La Coruna coach Javier Irureta.