Valdano: Real distracted by striker search
Reuters - Sunday 16 January 2011, 21:55
MADRID - Real Madrid's search for another
striker may have distracted them and contributed to Sunday's
surprise 1-1 La Liga draw at bottom side Almeria, according to
director general Jorge Valdano.
The Spanish giants had to come from behind to rescue a point
and champions Barcelona took full advantage by beating Malaga
4-1 to stretch their lead at the top to four points midway
through the season.
"We are still working on it but we don't want to talk about
the same thing every day," Valdano said in an interview with
Spanish television when asked about the possibility of bringing
in another striker in the January transfer window.
"Maybe we have been very distracted with his issue," the
former Argentina and Real player added.
"The papers were talking only about that today on their
front pages and not about the match and that probably
contributed to the distraction.
"It would be better to focus on what is going on the pitch
because what this team lacks is goals."
Real are looking for another centre forward because of
Gonzalo Higuain's back injury which will sideline him for most
of the rest of the season.
Coach Jose Mourinho said on Saturday he would be pleased if
former Real striker Ruud van Nistelrooy returned to the club
from Bundesliga side Hamburg SV.
However, Hamburg appear unwilling to sanction the move and
sporting director Bastian Reinhardt was quoted as saying in
German media that Van Nistelrooy had to see out his contract,
which runs until the end of this season.
"Our decision stands, he will stay," Reinhardt said.
Local media have also linked Real with Bayern Munich's
Miroslav Klose and Manchester City's Emmanuel Adebayor.