Real Madrid Fan Club

Forbes.com rates Real Madrid as most successful Soccer Franchisee

In 2006 before international soccer star and sex symbol David Beckham moved to Los Angeles to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Forbes.com had rated the Spanish soccer team Real Madrid as one of the most successful soccer franchises of all time. The franchise was considered Spain’s most successful team ever, having won a record nine European Champions Cups. Forbes went on to say that the Real Madrid soccer team was  arguably Europe’s most storied soccer club, if not the entire world’s. Real Madrid’s long success on the field, immense financial resources and a history of acquiring superstars made Spain’s Real Madrid a magnet for players and fans alike. Real Madrid’s closest rival is also another Spanish team, Barcelona, and is constantly being compared to the port town’s soccer team, usually unfavorable akin to a younger brother who can never step out of the shadows. 

That was then, and considering Real Madrid’s stunning upset against underdog Turin’s lackluster football team on Thursday October 21^st, one wonders if the rising star that once sported “Becks” is on the wane. Before entering into the match against Italy’s Soccer-Junvetus, Real Madrid had won an easy victory against Atletico’s Netherlands international despite the red card ejection that forced star striker Ruud van Nistlerooy from the game. The two to one victory against The Netherlands international had even jeopardized the career of Atletico’s Mexican coach Javier Aguirre. That victory seemed to pale in comparison to the humiliating and wretched defeat of Real Madrid at the hands of a franchise which had lost five matches in a row. However, some analysts have noted that the club’s league form has been good despite the loss. Spain’s Real Madrid soccer team has lost only one time in the Primera Liga soccer league thus far this season. That particular defeat came on the opening day at Deportivo La Coruna. Since that match, Bernd Schuster’s side has won five and tied one to sit three points behind the league’s leader, Valencia. Real Madrid also beat local archrival Atletico Madrid two to one last weekend. The victory was due to a 96th minute penalty scored by Gonzalo Higuain. The Spanish champion Real Madrid now faces Athletic Bilbao at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, October 26^th. The match will occur without the suspended star striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Of the other Real Madrid players, it is doubtful as to whether we will see the return of Higuain, but Guti and Mahamadou Diarra could return for the Sunday game. This game may be the one that brings the team back from its stunning loss to sit where it once was in 2006; the stakes look promising for yet another European Champions Cup, but only if they can keep other underdogs from upsetting their plans. 

Ruud van Nistlerooy is appealing his suspension in hopes that he will be able to play with Real Madrid in Sunday’s match against Bilbao. The appeal is a risky gamble because the Spanish League’s forum does have the power to increase the automatic one game suspension if it feels that the appeal was unjustified.