SOCCER/Euroscene: Has the Luxemburgo effect begun to make itself felt at Real Madrid? On the weekend that Real slumped to a highly unimpressive 2-0 away defeat to Deportivo La Coruna in the Primera Liga, it might seem just a little balmy to suggest that Real Madrid's new Brazilian coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo is ringing the changes to winning effect with the "galacticos".
Yet no one who watched Real's 1-0 defeat of Juventus in an engaging Champions League tie at the Santiago Bernabeu last week could fail to notice a different sense of purpose, rhythm and, dare one say it, overall fitness about the men in white.
Luxemburgo, who took over at Real Madrid during the Christmas break, has long been known as the most "European" of Brazilian coaches, one who willingly concedes that "discipline, hard work, professionalism and a sense of common purpose" are the key factors in assembling a winning team.
Given the well documented lack of enthusiasm of some of the galacticos for hard training, there were many who predicted difficult times for Luxemburgo at Real. The sceptics may feel their case rests with Real's two most recent Liga outings, a 2-0 defeat at the Bernabeu by Athletic Bilbao and then last weekend's away loss to Deportivo.
As of now, Real are eight points adrift of league leaders Barcelona (held to a 1-1 draw on a frozen pitch away to bottom-of-the-table Numancia on Saturday).
For many commentators, that defeat by Deportivo represents the end of Real's title aspirations.
What was abundantly clear, though, at the Bernabeu against Juventus is that for players like Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raul and Beckham the stimulus of the Champions League still works wonders. To some extent, the same could be said of Juventus even if it was inevitably Real who produced the magical moments of slick, quick and sometimes inspirational football last week.
What is also true is that Real travel to Turin next week, one goal up and, arguably almost as important, not having conceded a vital away goal to Juventus.
Furthermore, Real travel to Turin buoyed by the fierce determination of Luxemburgo, someone who has come to Europe to take up where he left off in his native Brazil (five national titles with Palmeiras, Corinthians, Cruzeiro and Santos), namely winning: "I came to Europe because I had already won a lot in Brazil. I needed new motivation to get going again. I didn't do it for money but to prove to Europeans that Brazilian coaches are good, too.
"Never in my life did I sign a contract so quickly. I was in Rio when I got a call from my agent who told me that Real had come looking for me. All I said to him was: 'Okay, let's go.' The next day, as I was getting ready to board the plane for Madrid, I came across Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo who were on their way back from their holidays.
"They said to me, 'Are you going on your holidays to Europe?' But I replied. No, I'm going to Madrid to be your new coach,' " Luxemburgo recently told sports daily, Gazzetta Dello Sport.
Luxemburgo follows in an imposing line of Real coaches - Fabio Capello (1996-97), Jupp Heynckes (1997-98), Guus Hiddink (1998-99), John Toshack (1999), Spaniard Vicente del Bosque (1999-2003) and Portugal's Carlos Queiroz last season not to mention his two immediate and shortlived predecessors this season, Jose Antonio Camacho (three months in charge last summer) and Mariano Garcia Remon (in charge throughout last autumn).
Given that some of them such as Capello, Heynckes and Del Bosque won both Champions League and Liga titles but still got the old heave-ho, does Luxemburgo not fear that this time he has bitten off more than he can chew?
"If you're frightened, you don't leave your house. If you are afraid of the dark, you don't sleep at night. Sure Real is a great club but I have coached good Brazilian clubs as well as the Brazilian national team.
"I'm no greenhorn. Sure I will have to adapt to Europe but I simply cannot be afraid."
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