As the showered and suited Real Madrid players made their way through the crowded mixed zone to their plush team coach following their 3-0 victory at Espanyol on Saturday, all but one of the players ignored the media. It was as if they were under instruction not to speak, to let their football do the talking.
Many were mildly apologetic, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who was playfully shadowed by his new best mate, Kaka. The pair both speak Portuguese, arrived at the Bernabeu in June and have the status of being the two most expensive footballers in history. "The first few days together at the club were great because we'd met before and we both speak the same language," said Kaka later. "We are beginning to form an understanding on and off the pitch. Although we do have different interests and personalities but we have exactly the same ambition of bringing glory to Real."
Kaka also brushed off suggestions that his new side are not gelling as quickly as hoped. "Right now we're really enjoying ourselves but we know we must keep adapting," said the Brazilian. "We all want to win every match but at the moment must focus on getting to know each other better and understanding what the coach demands from us. I would be very concerned if at the end of the season we're not playing as we would all hope to."
The potential is awesome and Kaka already looks settled. He was their best player on Saturday and Ronaldo scored Real's third goal after leaving the bench. Both expect to start in tonight's Champions League game at FC Zurich. Still serving a league ban for past aggressions, Pepe has been recalled to the Real squad. Another player with vital European experience who hopes to play against the Swiss champions is Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The only player to stop and speak to journalists in the Espanyol mixed zone, the Dutchman, 33, reminded people of his desire. He had just spent a night sat on a substitutes' bench, but unlike his former Manchester United team mate Ronaldo, he did not get off it. "I'm fit again after a long injury," Van Nistelrooy said. "It was difficult at times, but I'm back now and determined to play for Real Madrid. I wanted to play tonight and I want to play in Zurich."
Time is not on his side and it is believed that Real would consider offers for the prolific striker who was their top scorer in his first two seasons at the club. Under different circumstances, a game against an unfancied side like Zurich would be perfect for a squad player such as Van Nistelrooy, but Real's first XI is still gelling and their record in Europe has been inglorious in recent seasons.
They lost three consecutive opening day fixtures in the Champions League before last season and have been eliminated at the last 16 stage in each of the last five seasons. Their 4-0 defeat at Liverpool earlier this year was their record Champions League loss. Real have only met Zurich once before, in 1964 when Alfredo Di Stefano scored in both wins for the Spaniards. The 6-0 defeat in the Bernabeu remains Zurich's record loss in Europe.
Zurich have been Swiss champions in three of the last four seasons, but they have never played in the Champions League group stage before. Coach Bernard Challandes knows that he has a difficult task given that Group C, which also contains AC Milan and Marseille, is the toughest. Those opponents are likely to be far tougher than NK Maribor and FK Ventspils, the Slovenian and Latvian champions whom they beat to reach the group stage.
A baptism of fire awaits for the Swiss - 25,000 febrile home fans for the Spanish. @Email:amitten@thenational.ae FC Zurich v Real Madrid, KO 10.45pm, Aljazeera Sport + 6
