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Becks hogs the limelight as Real readies for China
Madrid, July 25: David Beckham was the new attraction as Real Madrid finished their preparations to fly out to China on the opening leg of a 17-day tour of Asia.
Madrid, July 25: David Beckham was the new attraction as Real Madrid finished their preparations to fly out to China on the opening leg of a 17-day tour of Asia.
David Beckham hooked up with the Real Madrid squad for the first time in the morning of Thursday (July 24) when the players convened for fitness checks ahead of the club's pre-season tour of the Asia.
The England captain, who joined the Spanish champions from Manchester United for a fee of up to 35 million euros ($40.19 million US dollars), will fly out to China with the rest of the squad at 1500 GMT after a low-key introduction to life as a Real player.
A few dozen reporters surrounded Beckham as he crossed the training ground's car park, hoping in vain for a comment. Otherwise, there was nothing out of the ordinary on Beckham's first day of work at his new club as he joined Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, among others.
The tour schedule has been rejigged slightly, after the last of the four matches, scheduled for August 10 in Kuala Lumpur, was cancelled earlier this week.
Instead, Real will play a match in Bangkok on the same date, ensuring they will pocket eight million euros ($9.19 million US dollars) from the tour, which also takes in games in Beijing, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
That agreement will net the club a minimum of 22 million euros ($25.26 million US dollars) in three years, with the target figure set at 40 million euros ($45.93 million US dollars).
David Beckham may not have learned much Spanish yet but Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano said will not find problems to communicate with his new team mates.
"There's a universal language of football," he told reporters at the club's training ground. "It was just very normal having him here."
"Beckham is a calm player and he has a shy side to him and therefore there is no big difference between the players and how they get along," Valdano explained.
Real recently signed a deal with a company called Asia Sports Development to manage the club's brand in Asia and Oceania. Valdano, a former Argentinian striker who played for Real Madrid, said the pre-season tour of Asia is more about meeting fans in the region than swelling the club's coffers.
"We know that Real going to Asia means a lot of excitement for Asia. The security is one of our priorities. We are going to work and in the time while we work we hope will be respected. and then we have time to have contact with the fans," he said.
Real normally stage their pre-season training camp much closer to home but Valdano said he was confident the long-distance voyage would not disturb the squad's preparations for the new season.
"We hope that the security forces will not hinder our contact with the fans. We are going to Asia to get close to people not to be away from them. so herefore our idea is to mingle with the people respecting our work sessions."
When Beckham, Ronaldo, Portuguese international Figo and French player Zinedine Zidane return from their Asian tour, they will begin the defence of the Spanish league title with a home game against Real Betis on the weekend of August 30-31.
The draw for the new season's calendar, carried out by the Spanish Football Federation on Thursday (July 24), handed last term's runners-up Real Sociedad an away clash with Espanyol on the opening day.
The first test for new Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard will be a tricky away game against Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona and Real Madrid will meet for the first time in the league season at the Nou Camp on December 6-7 in the 15th round of matches, with the return at the Bernabeu set for May 1-2. The final round of matches will be on the weekend of May 22-23.
Bureau Report
Instead, Real will play a match in Bangkok on the same date, ensuring they will pocket eight million euros ($9.19 million US dollars) from the tour, which also takes in games in Beijing, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
That agreement will net the club a minimum of 22 million euros ($25.26 million US dollars) in three years, with the target figure set at 40 million euros ($45.93 million US dollars).
David Beckham may not have learned much Spanish yet but Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano said will not find problems to communicate with his new team mates.
"There's a universal language of football," he told reporters at the club's training ground. "It was just very normal having him here."
"Beckham is a calm player and he has a shy side to him and therefore there is no big difference between the players and how they get along," Valdano explained.
Real recently signed a deal with a company called Asia Sports Development to manage the club's brand in Asia and Oceania. Valdano, a former Argentinian striker who played for Real Madrid, said the pre-season tour of Asia is more about meeting fans in the region than swelling the club's coffers.
"We know that Real going to Asia means a lot of excitement for Asia. The security is one of our priorities. We are going to work and in the time while we work we hope will be respected. and then we have time to have contact with the fans," he said.
Real normally stage their pre-season training camp much closer to home but Valdano said he was confident the long-distance voyage would not disturb the squad's preparations for the new season.
"We hope that the security forces will not hinder our contact with the fans. We are going to Asia to get close to people not to be away from them. so herefore our idea is to mingle with the people respecting our work sessions."
When Beckham, Ronaldo, Portuguese international Figo and French player Zinedine Zidane return from their Asian tour, they will begin the defence of the Spanish league title with a home game against Real Betis on the weekend of August 30-31.
The draw for the new season's calendar, carried out by the Spanish Football Federation on Thursday (July 24), handed last term's runners-up Real Sociedad an away clash with Espanyol on the opening day.
The first test for new Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard will be a tricky away game against Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona and Real Madrid will meet for the first time in the league season at the Nou Camp on December 6-7 in the 15th round of matches, with the return at the Bernabeu set for May 1-2. The final round of matches will be on the weekend of May 22-23.
Bureau Report