THE BIG TEST

DAVID Beckham will play his first competitive match for Real Madrid this Sunday against Real Mallorca in Palma and if he does not perform better then against Valencia, he is going to get another blast from the media and start to realise that Madrid fans have little or no patience. The first leg of the Super Cup final will also provide Real Mallorca fans with their first chance to see what magical powers the new coach Jaime Pacheco has. Since he arrived at the club, he has been forced to sit and watch one player after another leave the club with Novo expected to be presented as a new Athletico Madrid player today and Ibagaza later this week while Samuel Eto'o, who the club is still keen to cash in on, injured himself in training yesterday. Mallorca have signed the second division's top scorer, Perero and striker Bruggink for free from PSV, but even Pacheco has been forced to admit he is lacking in the midfield and is worried about the lack of depth in defence. Anderson Luiz de Carvalho, alias Nene, did arrive in Palma yesterday but no deal has been confirmed for his three million euro transfer from del Santos. The 22-year-old Brazilian scored eight goals last season and may prove to be the replacement on the left for Riera who has gone to Bordeaux. Federico Lussenhoff is however expected to return today, on loan from Tenerife for another year.
Real Mallorca are also in talks with the Costa Marfil player Saliou Lassissi, currently with Roma, however his transfer depends on a medical as he has two years of major injury problems. He also feels that the pre-season camp in Birmingham was badly organised and has failed to prepare the side properly. “Not enough physical exercise, there was too much time sat on coaches,” he said.
Real Mallorca have so far played seven friendlies, five of which were on the tour of England where they lost two, drew two and won one.
Last Friday they crushed lowly Balearic third division side Poblense 4-1 and on Sunday lost 2-0 to Extremadura: Pacheco was not impressed.
But Real Madrid are also claiming that their Far East tour tired them out, hence last Sunday's performace against Valencia, if Real Madrid play like that again this Sunday, there is no reason why Mallorca should not win the first leg. Real Madrid are missing Makalele, locked in a pay dispute with the club and currently on international duty with France, in midfield and that is where Mallorca could exploit Madrid's apparent lack of coordination.