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Madrid set to raise the standard

Written by Ramaz Mitaishvili
Friday, 24 August 2007
Ruud van Nistelrooy's run of ten goals in the final eight games of last season set the scene for an improbable final day that left Real Madrid CF as Spanish champions for the 30th time thanks to their head-to-head record against FC Barcelona. Great expectations Having scored 25 goals in his first Primera División season, huge expectations rest on the Dutchman's shoulders as Madrid prepare to kick off the new campaign at home to rivals Club Atlético de Madrid on Saturday. Van Nistelrooy, though, believes the most important expectations to meet are his own. "I make my own demands," he told uefa.com. "People expect me to score lots of goals but I'm the one who is most demanding on myself. I always give my best, both in terms of goalscoring and workrate, to help the team win the most titles possible." Eventful ride Following the twists and turns of last season Madrid fans could have been forgiven for hoping for a bit more stability this time round. Judging by the 6-3 aggregate Super Cup defeat by Sevilla FC, however, it could be another eventful ride as new coach Bernd Schuster, Madrid's seventh in five years, beds in. "Every coach has his own ideas," said Van Nistelrooy. "During pre-season he has been trying things and we saw that he likes us to play the ball out from the back, use the wings and move forward. You always want to win but I don't worry about pre-season results. It's a test period, a time for adaptation, a time to get fit. Whatever the results might suggest, the team has worked very well." 'Competition' A flurry of transfer activity in the past fortnight means Schuster's new-look Madrid will need time to gel. The arrivals of Royston Drenthe, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben have swelled the Dutch ranks at Madrid to four. "If they're here it's because they are quality players and they will prove it," said Van Nistelrooy. The arrival of Javier Saviola and the return of Roberto Soldado have also added strength up front but the former PSV Eindhoven and Manchester United FC striker is not afraid of extra competition. He said: "Competition helps each player get the best out of themself at all times, so the ultimate beneficiary is the team. [All the signings] are great players and I say that because it's how I feel after working with them. I'm sure with them in the team we will grow and become much stronger than we were last season." This an abridged version of a story that appears in this week's uefa.com Magazine. To read it in full, click here. http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=574612.html !
Last Updated ( Friday, 24 August 2007 )