Real go Brazilian with Luxemburgo at the helm

Former Brazil national coach Wanderley Luxemburgo, who flew into Spain to become Real Madrid's fifth coach in 18 months.

Former Brazil national coach Wanderley Luxemburgo flew into Spain to become Real Madrid's fifth coach in 18 months.

The 52-year-old Luxemburgo, who replaces Mariano Garcia Remon, was previously at the helm of Brazilian club Santos but said Real had made an approach and he had been unable to refuse a "dream" of a challenge.

"It's a great pleasure. To work with Real Madrid is the dream of any coach," he added, as Real presented him formally at a club board meeting minutes after his arrival at Madrid's Barajas international airport.

"I am very happy. Everything happened very quickly with the negotiations."

Luxemburgo touched down at 1203 GMT and was whisked off to the presentation ceremony and a half-hour news conference.

He will be on the touchline for Wednesday's home mini-match against Real Sociedad -- the final seven minutes have to be played after a bomb threat caused the encounter on December 12 to be abandoned at the Bernabeu.

Luxemburgo had earlier told daily newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo. "I will sign a one-and-a-half year contract and will take up the position immediately," and confirmed as much at the conference.

Real are in a mini-crisis with the club in fifth spot in the Spanish league, 13 points behind leaders and arch rivals Barcelona, although with one game in hand.

"I think there's a fair amount of work ahead," admitted Luxemburgo.

"There are four fundamental factors which the team needs to function as required. Discipline, unity, hard work and professionalism," Luxemburgo stressed as he mapped out "what we need to form a team to win competitions.

"This is a great responsibility for me as the first Brazilian coach of a club which is a byword for quality and greatness.

"But I am not afraid of this responsibility," underlined Luxemburgo, who added that "football is universal."

The new man at the helm already knows two of the club's stars well, having coached samba stars Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos during two years in charge of the Brazilian national side between 1998 and 2000.

In 1999, he led the auriverde to the Copa America only to see the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign almost come off the rails.

However, Luxemburgo has done well at club level in Brazil, where he has taken three teams to domestic championships.

"We believe this is the best decision for Real Madrid," said Real's vice-chairman Emilio Butragueno, unveiling Luxemburgo and revealing that the board had unanmously plumped for "a change which is necessary".

Real's sporting director Arrigo Sacchi, himself only appointed last week, described Luxemburgo as a "great coach who has a great record in his homeland and can help us improve."

Roberto Carlos, occasionally at odds with previous coaches including Camacho, gave Luxemburgo's arrival the thumbs up.

"He will get us playing real football," said the wingback, who nevertheless added kind words for Remon, who retreats back to the heart of the technical staff three months after replacing Jose Antonio Camacho.

"Garcia Remon has done a great job, he is a fine coach but the chairman has taken a decision and we must accept it," said the veteran defender, who joined the club seven years ago from Inter Milan.

"Luxemburgo is the best coach for Real Madrid," he added.

Luxemburgo follows on from Remon's three months in charge, a four-match tenure for Camacho and one season for Carlos Queiroz, now back as Manchester United assistant boss.

Queiroz had replaced Vicente Del Bosque, architect of the 2002 Champions League win and now with Turkey's Besiktas.