Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Real Madrid's big guns fire blanks during European event
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-06-29 06:46

After a miserable domestic season, Real Madrid's heavyweight collection of players must have been looking forward to Euro 2004 as a way of venting their frustrations and re-establishing reputations.

Instead, the tournament has brought only more misery for David Beckham, Raul, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, who appear to have saved their best form for the lavishly produced TV commercials commissioned by their sportswear manufacturers.

Beckham, signed from Manchester United for 35 million euros (US$42.45 million) last year, gradually lost confidence during his first season in Spain and went from bad to worse for England.

Their captain missed a penalty in the last-gasp 2-1 defeat by France in the opening game, was anonymous against Switzerland and Croatia and offered nothing in the way of inspiration in the quarter-final loss to Portugal.

His last contribution to the England cause was to blast his penalty kick embarrassingly high over the bar as Portugal won the shootout 6-5 and Beckham was forced into an angry defence of his position as captain.

"Do you think I can inspire the team like I could in the past? What do you think? Listen, I am England captain and I will not be resigning my position, I'm proud to be part of this team and proud to be England captain," he told a news conference.

Beckham appeared to be vying with club mate Raul to get the award for biggest disappointment at Euro 2004.

The Spain captain, usually the most reliable of scorers, failed to find the net in three matches at the tournament and kept his place in the lineup on reputation alone.

No satisfaction

Figo is the only member of the Real squad still involved, but even he can take little personal satisfaction from Euro 2004.

The 31-year-old, playing his last major tournament for Portugal, stormed off the pitch when he was substituted against England after 75 minutes.

Even if coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is prepared to forgive that petulant display, he will have to decide whether the country's footballing icon deserves a spot ahead of starry Simao Sabrosa.

Zidane, who looked exhausted for Real in the second half of the season, scored three goals at Euro 2004 but the 32-year-old was incapable of supplying the leadership France so badly needed in their shocking 1-0 loss to Greece in the quarter-finals.

It is all a far cry from the last European Championship four years ago, when Zidane and Figo were in imperious form.

Within two years both were playing for Real Madrid after joining for a combined fee of more than US$120 million and they helped the club win the European Cup for the ninth time in 2002.

Real have recognized the need to add fresh legs to their aging squad before next season.

Strengthening the defence will be a priority, with Raul Bravo's inept attempts to shackle Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo likely to live long in the memory of Real fans.

But the performances of the team's all-star quartet will also have convinced the club to look elsewhere for inspiration.

If Real continue their policy of signing the world's best players, it may will be a collection of Czechs, Greeks, Swedes and Danes heading to the Bernabeu over the next few weeks.



 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

`Five Principles' guiding national relations turn 50

 

   
 

Iraqi militants kill US soldier hostage

 

   
 

EU refuses to grant China market economy

 

   
 

Priority given to heritage protection

 

   
 

China overtakes US as investment target

 

   
 

Extreme weather slams country

 

   
  Henman rides popular support to beat Arazi
   
  China to be hosts for 16th Asian Games
   
  Jones beaten again; pole vault hits new heights
   
  Money may be superstars' downfall
   
  Real Madrid's big guns fire blanks during European event
   
  England midfielder Gerrard to stay in Liverpool
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Baros double fires Czechs into Euro semis
   
After years of frustration, Dutch savour shootout win
   
Italy's return to glory rests with cigar-chomping Marcello Lippi
   
Giant-killer Greece stun France to reach semis
   
France suffers Greek tragedy, coaches tumble
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 再深点灬好舒服灬太大了添| 尤果圈3.2.6破解版| 免费a在线观看播放| 久久国产精品99精品国产987| 就去吻亚洲精品欧美日韩在线| 亚洲一区二区三区免费视频 | 象人族女人能吃得消吗| 天天舔天天干天天操| 久久精品一区二区影院| 波多野结衣中文字幕一区| 国产AV午夜精品一区二区三区| **性色生活片毛片| 妖精动漫在线观看| 久久天天躁狠狠躁夜夜2020一| 欧美高清性色生活片免费观看| 四库影院永久在线精品| 日本一二三精品黑人区| 在车里被撞了八次高c| 中文字幕精品在线| 杨幂被c原视频在线观看| 亚洲色一区二区三区四区| 色依依视频视频在线观看| 国产激情一区二区三区| 99久久综合精品五月天| 扒开腿狂躁女人爽出白浆| 亚洲av无码专区亚洲av桃| 深夜a级毛片免费视频| 啊灬啊灬别停啊灬用力啊免费看| 国产精品va一级二级三级| 国内精品伊人久久久久av影院| 丁香九月月小说图片区| 日本道在线观看| 亚洲区小说区图片区qvod| 男女同房猛烈无遮挡动态图| 国产一级淫片a免费播放口之| 色噜噜视频影院| 夜先锋av资源网站| 国产精品永久免费10000 | 美女被狂揉下部羞羞动漫| 国产成人精品综合在线观看| 91呻吟丰满娇喘国产区|