Real Madrid Is Making Its Way to the U.S. Soon
Real Madrid, the world’s best-known, most star-wealthy soccer team, will play two matches in the United States next month -- against Chivas de Guadalajara in Chicago on July 16 and against the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on July 18 or 19.
Emilio Butragueno, the team’s vice president, said Thursday in a conference call from Madrid that the nine-time European champion will bring its top players on the tour, which will continue in Asia after the stop in Los Angeles.
Real’s roster of galacticos includes Brazil’s Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, England’s David Beckham and Michael Owen, France’s Zinedine Zidane, Portugal’s Luis Figo and Spain’s Raul.
By the time the 29-time Spanish champion reaches the U.S., the squad might also include Brazil’s newest star, 21-year-old forward Robinho, currently the target of a $25-million offer by Real to Santos of Brazil.
“All of our players will be there, all of our stars ...” Butragueno said. “But we have to be very careful about potential signings.... When you are in negotiations, you have to be extremely prudent.”
Whether Robinho is signed or not, Real Coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo will have a talent-laden roster, but the same might not be true for Guadalajara or the Galaxy.
The games fall in the middle of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, meaning that as many as half a dozen Chivas players could be with Mexico’s national team and the Galaxy could be without four players from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica and the U.S.
Also on Thursday, Landon Donovan was included in the 23-man squad selected by U.S. Coach Bruce Arena to compete in the July 6-24 Gold Cup, a 12-nation, six-city tournament won by the Americans in 1991 and 2002.
Galaxy starters Michael Umana (Costa Rica), Guillermo “Pando” Ramirez (Guatemala) and Tyrone Marshall (Jamaica) are on the Gold Cup rosters for their countries.
Doug Hamilton, the Galaxy’s president and general manager, said the team would try to free some, if not all, of the four for the Real Madrid match.
“Conversations have begun with national-team coaches about making players available, and we feel confident that we’re going to have the majority of the players we need to compete in this game back and available for us,” he said.
Whether the game is played July 18 or 19 will be decided in the next 24 hours, Hamilton said.
Butragueno avoided the topic of whether Real Madrid might invest in MLS or even field a team in the league as Guadalajara owner Jorge Vergara has done with Chivas USA.
“We have to go step by step,” Butragueno said. “I think this, in our opinion, is an important step, to go to the United States. We would like to do it more often in the future.
“Right now, at this point, we are not considering that option but
Vergara predicted Real Madrid would become involved in MLS. “I truly believe that MLS is going to be one of the strongest leagues in the world,” he said. “So they will have to be here, that’s for sure.”
Of Chivas USA’s 1-11-3 record, Vergara said: “It’s normal. You cannot make a team in two months. Chivas Mexico has taken me three years to get it to where it is.... Chivas USA is going to be pretty soon what we want them to be.”
*
(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
U.S. roster
United States roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, with club affiliation. The U.S. will open play July 7 against Cuba at Seattle’s Qwest Field:
*--* GOALKEEPERS Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, England) Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany) Matt Reis (New England Revolution) DEFENDERS Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, Germany) Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards) Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew) Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, Belgium) Eddie Pope (Real Salt Lake) Tony Sanneh (Chicago Fire) Greg Vanney (FC Dallas) MIDFIELDERS Chris Armas (Chicago Fire) DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands) Brad Davis (San Jose Earthquakes) Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution) Landon Donovan (Galaxy) Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids) John O’Brien (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands) Ben Olsen (D.C. United) Steve Ralston (New England Revolution) FORWARDS Conor Casey (FSV Mainz, Germany) Eddie Johnson (FC Dallas) Pat Noonan (New England Revolution) Josh Wolff (Kansas City Wizards)
*--*
