From Deseret News archives:
New Madrid trio ready for RSL
That's what happens when players move to Real Madrid. Year after year, the Spanish giants purchase players at high prices during the summer transfer window.
This year hasn't been an exception. So far, Real Madrid has bought three players — Fabio Cannavaro and Emerson from Juventus and Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United.
Considering that Real hasn't won a major trophy since 2003, hopes will be lofty for the trio. And they'll be particularly high for Cannavaro and van Nistelrooy, who join with the reputation of being among the best players in the world in their respective positions.
Both players are here with Real Madrid and will likely be on display when the squad takes on Real Salt Lake in an exhibition Saturday evening.
Van Nistelrooy, a striker, knows what playing for a massive club is all about. That's because he just left Manchester United, one of Europe's other glamour teams. Accordingly, van Nistelrooy should be accustomed to the intense pressure.
He certainly brings a successful pedigree with him. During five extraordinary seasons with Manchester United, the 31-year-old bagged 150 goals in 219 appearances.
"His record says it all," said Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate, an Englishman who saw van Nistelrooy play in the English Premier League before moving to Real. "He's a fantastic striker. He's scored goals at the highest level. His goals for Manchester United is second to none. Apart from that, he's a great person as well. So, obviously, he'll adapt well to the team."
Despite his prolific scoring record, van Nistelrooy fell out of favor with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, prompting the move to Madrid.
Some have questioned van Nistelrooy's decision to go to Madrid. Because Real has so many attacking players, it's uncertain whether the Netherlands International will be able to hold down a consistent first-team place.
Unlike van Nistelrooy's current struggles, Cannavaro, a 33-year-old defender, comes to Madrid on the heels of his greatest professional achievement. He captained Italy at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. In his 100th career appearance with his national team, he lifted the World Cup trophy after Italy defeated France on penalties in the final.
Cannavaro's club career has also been going well. He played his previous two seasons with Juventus in the Italian First Division. With him, Juventus won two straight league titles, though the team has since been stripped of those championships because of a match-fixing scandal.
Cannavaro and van Nistelrooy will both look to help Real Madrid get back to winning trophies. In the realm of high-level European soccer, they'll be viewed as big successes if Madrid does win titles. And if they don't, they'll likely be viewed as failures.
ENDLINES: Real Salt Lake announced Thursday afternoon that fans may attend today's Real Madrid practice for free. Sections on the west side of Rice-Eccles Stadium will be made available for fans. According to the Real Salt Lake press release, the free practice is meant to be a reward for RSL's fan-base. The practice is scheduled to go from 10 a.m. to noon.
E-mail: drasmussen@desnews.com
