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Real`s fall from grace makes a sorry picture
Turin, May 16: Three weeks ago, Real Madrid had the world at their feet after completing a dazzling 6-5 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Turin, May 16: Three weeks ago, Real Madrid had the world at their feet after completing a dazzling 6-5 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The timid surrender of their European crown to Juventus represents a spectacular fall from grace. A 3-1 semi-final win for Juventus on Wednesday (May 15) in Turin -- and 4-3 on aggregate -- denied Real a chance of a 10th European Cup win, and fourth since 1998.
David Trezeguet and Alessandro Del Piero put the Italians 2-0 up and, after Luis Figo had missed a penalty, Pavel Nedved effectively sealed victory with his side's third.
Zinedine Zidane did pull one back in the 89th minute but the Frenchman's strike came too late to inspire a Real comeback.
Makelele was out injured, while Juventus managed to limit Zidane's influence by relentlessly attacking Real's left flank, forcing Zidane back to cover for Roberto Carlos.
"Me sad, never -- disheartened yes, because we've doing well so far in the European Cup. like in last year's (competition) when we reached the final," the Brazilian left back said after Real's elimination.
"This year, we were stopped in semifinals. But I think our team have demonstrated that if we in our day, we could have won. They came to us three times and scored three goals, we had our opportunities, we're playing well and gave our best effort. Sometimes, you do that and you don't win it -- and now we have to look ahead," Roberto Carlos added.
Real are also in trouble in the Spanish league after a 5-1 defeat at home to Real Mallorca and a goalless draw with Recreativo Huelva.
They are now a point behind Deportivo Coruna and Real Sociedad with five games left to play, and Del Bosque's position is under question.
Real president Florentino Perez may well stick to his pledge to re-sign a coach who commands respect from players and the admiration of everyone for his deft handling of a dressing room featuring some of the most famous names in the world game.
It may be difficult to justify Del Bosque's position, however, if the club fail to win anything in a season when Ronaldo was added to a squad already featuring Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul.
"We made life easy for them after conceding two goals, so we had to run after the result throughout the second half -- and I think we tried it," said the striker who returned to the side after after recovering from an apendicitis operation. "We were superior in the second half and had plenty of chances to equalise," Raul added.
Juventus proved on Wednesday (May 14) what has long been suspected -- that Real are so weak in defence, and so reliant on the guts and guile of French midfielders Claude Makelele and Zinedine Zidane, that they are vulnerable to any side organised and aggressive enough to take the game to them.
Real's overwhelming problem, though, was in defence, where the 35-year-old Hierro was humiliated. The Real captain was at fault on the first goal, failed to stop Del Piero on the second and generally failed to play to the standard required.
Real's Jose Maria 'Guti', however, acknowledged Juventus' superiority: "This is a fair result from what the two teams showed on the pitch. It is sure that Juve made the best of their opportunities, they managed to play controling the score, letting the time pass. So, we have to congratulate Juve and see if they do well in the final."
Bureau Report
"Me sad, never -- disheartened yes, because we've doing well so far in the European Cup. like in last year's (competition) when we reached the final," the Brazilian left back said after Real's elimination.
"This year, we were stopped in semifinals. But I think our team have demonstrated that if we in our day, we could have won. They came to us three times and scored three goals, we had our opportunities, we're playing well and gave our best effort. Sometimes, you do that and you don't win it -- and now we have to look ahead," Roberto Carlos added.
Real are also in trouble in the Spanish league after a 5-1 defeat at home to Real Mallorca and a goalless draw with Recreativo Huelva.
They are now a point behind Deportivo Coruna and Real Sociedad with five games left to play, and Del Bosque's position is under question.
Real president Florentino Perez may well stick to his pledge to re-sign a coach who commands respect from players and the admiration of everyone for his deft handling of a dressing room featuring some of the most famous names in the world game.
It may be difficult to justify Del Bosque's position, however, if the club fail to win anything in a season when Ronaldo was added to a squad already featuring Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul.
"We made life easy for them after conceding two goals, so we had to run after the result throughout the second half -- and I think we tried it," said the striker who returned to the side after after recovering from an apendicitis operation. "We were superior in the second half and had plenty of chances to equalise," Raul added.
Juventus proved on Wednesday (May 14) what has long been suspected -- that Real are so weak in defence, and so reliant on the guts and guile of French midfielders Claude Makelele and Zinedine Zidane, that they are vulnerable to any side organised and aggressive enough to take the game to them.
Real's overwhelming problem, though, was in defence, where the 35-year-old Hierro was humiliated. The Real captain was at fault on the first goal, failed to stop Del Piero on the second and generally failed to play to the standard required.
Real's Jose Maria 'Guti', however, acknowledged Juventus' superiority: "This is a fair result from what the two teams showed on the pitch. It is sure that Juve made the best of their opportunities, they managed to play controling the score, letting the time pass. So, we have to congratulate Juve and see if they do well in the final."
Bureau Report