© EuroFootball.com
"A revolution will happen," said the Spanish sports daily "Marca" after Real Madrid was knocked out of the Champions League last Wednesday. "One day people will remember that in Turin the end came for a legendary team, made up of the brightest football stars in the world." And after all of this - a frightening prediction: "Three 'Galacticos' will leave the team in June." Marca has close ties with Madrid's Real, sometimes this newspaper is called the unofficial spreader of club news, so these words should not be underestimated. Let's add to them the worrying murmurs that arose a week before being knocked out of the Champions League when club president Florentino Perez warned of impending changes. "Players come to the club, age, and then have to leave," he indifferently explained, "it's the law of life." Now is a great time for serious changes in the club. Real Madrid had not been eliminated from the Champions League without reaching the quarterfinals for eight years. Probably worse than the first downfall is the fact that the club probably won't compete for any significant trophies for the second year in a row - something that has not happened in 13 years already. So, if Marca is not mistaken, who are those three superstars for whom the door will be shown? Raul has recently received a lot of criticism from both the press and the fans for his poor form. However, his sale seems very unrealistic. He is the team captain, a graduate of the Madrid Real academy, and already a club legend. He is the all-time top goal scorer in European cup competitions, scoring 49 goals, a record he shares with another Madrid hero - Alfredo Di Stefano. It's hard to imagine the club letting such a prominent figure leave. Since David Beckham arrived at the club two years ago, there have been constant rumors about his return to England. However, lately he has regained good form and is particularly dangerous on set pieces. His value to the club from a marketing perspective is also hard to overestimate. There are rumors that Perez has stated that he would sell the Santiago Bernabeu stadium first, and only then Beckham. This clearly conveys the president's view on commercial Anglo value. Zinedine Zidane should also stay. The three-time world's best player recently signed a contract extension until 2007 and plans to end his professional career afterwards. In the last few games, he has proven that he is still a force to be reckoned with, constantly bewildering opponents with his trademark Marseille roulette and garnering ovations in the stands with this move. Roberto Carlos is another aging superstar, but it is also unlikely that he will leave the club. With the arrival of the new coach - Vanderlei Luxemburgo - he has regained his form after a long absence that started at the beginning of the season under Antonio Camacho's guidance. Like Zidane, he signed a contract extension until 2007, after which he plans to retire. In addition, Carlos is not a true 'Galactico' as his salary is not at the same level as his teammates Raul, Beckham, Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and possibly Owen, so he is not such a drain on the club's finances. The highest-paid players in the club receive around four million pounds per season. The most likely player the club will part ways with at the end of the season is Figo. In the summer, he will have only a year left on his contract, and he is a different player from the one who joined the club five years ago. Despite great work ethic and still enchanting dribbling skills, he is no longer a world-class player who could change a game on his own. With Beckham taking over the right flank, and amid rumors of several young talented wingers moving to the royal club, Figo's departure from Real is almost guaranteed. The biggest question now is whether the club will try to sell the player or simply let him leave without any fee. Another 'Galactico' likely to leave is Ronaldo. Despite being a three-time world player of the year and still having the ability to change the course of a game with one shining moment, the overweight forward has often been criticized for laziness on the field. His form slump was exacerbated by several serious indiscretions - such as returning to the lineup too soon after injury following his Valentine's Day evening in France. This led to his exclusion from the main team and the loss of sympathy. He is also unhappy with Luxemburgo's intense training regime and has recently stated that he would return to Milan. Rumors abound that Madrid club supremo Perez is enamored with Inter forward Adriano. Perez has good relations with Inter president Massimo Moratti and a player exchange deal may already be underway. Ronaldo will turn 29 in September, so now is the best time to make a profit from 'Fenomeno.' The newest Madrid 'Galactico,' Owen, is also likely to leave. When the player arrived at the beginning of the season, he was already not very necessary for the club. He is tired of waiting on the bench, but it seems the Englishman will stay there, despite his abilities. The English national team striker has proven more than once that he can score goals for the club, and despite being a fan favorite, Perez does not believe the quiet striker is appealing enough to be in the starting lineup. Owen knows he needs constant game time to secure his position in the starting lineup of the England national team, and returning to the 'UKanotaj Island' is his best choice. There is certainly no shortage of clubs interested in his services. The Madrid club has made it clear that they want to make a good profit from this player, as last summer they acquired the Englishman for only eight million pounds and gave away the unwanted Antonio Nunez to the club. If Marca is right and three 'Galacticos' leave the club this summer - no matter who they are - it could mean a significant shakeup for the club. It won't be a revolution, it won't be the end of the 'Galacticos.' This month Perez said: "I defend my Galacticos policy." - but that was before being eliminated from the Champions League. However, albeit never admitting mistakes, Perez subtly changes his policy. After being re-elected as club president last summer, Perez expressed admiration for defensive midfielder Patrick Vieira. Perez's 'Galactico' policy, as people understood it then, was criticized for only being applied to the attacking line. However, Perez then stated that his policy was and always has been to acquire the best players in the world in the positions where the club needed them. Shameless words from the man who bought Beckham a year ago while already having Figo on the right wing. It is possible that this summer a revolution will take place in the Real Madrid club. The policy of established stars could be replaced by a policy of buying rising stars. A Ronaldo - Adriano deal would be a great indicator of this revolution. But the policy will still be called 'Galacticos,' at least that's what the club president will call it. Even if that revolution happens this summer, Perez may not want to admit it."
