European: Madrid set to appoint Luxemburgo

Real Madrid have called a press conference for later on Tuesday at which the club are expected to announce the appointment of Wanderley Luxemburgo as coach. Brazilian Luxemburgo is set to replace Mariano Garcia Remon, who has been relieved of his first-team duties after just three months in charge. Garcia Remon succeeded Jose Antonio Camacho but struggled to win over Madrid's high-profile players and the club currently sit in fifth place in the Primera Liga.

Rumours regarding Luxemburgo's move to the Spanish capital started in South America when it was announced he had left recently-crowned Brazilian champions Santos and was set to take over at the Primera Liga giants. Lancepress and Globo both claim that Luxemburgo is currently en route to Madrid to put pen to paper on a one-and-a-half-year contract at the Bernabeu.

Luxemburgo, 52, has managed some of the biggest clubs in Brazil such as Flamengo, Palmeiras and Corinthians, and has won the last two editions of the domestic championship - first with Cruzeiro and then with Santos this year. He also enjoyed a spell as Brazil coach between 1998 and 2000. Madrid's players have their first training session since the winter break this evening with speculation already suggesting Luxemburgo will use it as a chance to meet the squad. One player he will need no introducing to is striker Ronaldo.

Luxemburgo coached a young Ronaldo at Cruzeiro and also looked after him during his time in charge of Brazil. Santos executive Norberto Moreira confirmed Madrid had been in touch with Luxemburgo and that he was set to sign a deal with the Bernabeu club.

"It has been a great surprise. He was with us at Santos but now he has received an offer from Real Madrid. The offer arrived and he has accepted it," Moreira told Radio Globo.

"He is very excited, he said that it was his life-long dream. When we let him go, he was crying."

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well, he has now joined up

Luxemburgo has a wealth of experience after coaching the Brazilian national team and a number of top Brazilian club sides.

He has won the Brazilian championship a record five times with four different clubs and helped Santos to win this season's title.

"Real Madrid's board has unanimously approved the proposal of the sports management team to appoint Wanderley Luxemburgo as new coach," said Real vice-president Emilio Butragueno.

"It's not been an easy decision for us but we think it is the best decision right now for Real Madrid."

roberto carlos is happy to see him join up

Roberto Carlos has welcomed the appointment of Wanderley Luxemburgo as the new coach of Real Madrid and believes he can turn things around at the club.

The Brazilian international could not hide his delight after his former trainer at national and club level took over from Mariano Garcia Remon during this week.

"I have known him for around 12 years now," Carlos explained. "I played under him at Palmeiras and with the Brazilian national team.

"I could spend a lot of time talking about everything that he won and achieved in his career, but you will tell me I speak too much if I do.

"He has his own style of doing things and likes his teams to be happy when they play. He is a winner and I am sure he will make us into champions.

"In Brazil everyone is accustomed to training twice a day and he will do that, starting next week when we are due to work in the morning and afternoon. The team will improve physically and tactically."

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