New coach takes stage without Real Madrid's lead actors
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-06 08:39

FIVE DEFEATS

The team has failed to live up to expectations, however, and has slipped to five defeats in the league including a 3-0 loss to Barcelona at the Bernabeu although they are still only six points behind the leaders in fourth place.

Luxemburgo was sacked on Sunday, the day after a lacklustre 1-0 win over Getafe, and the Brazilian's principal supporter Sacchi has now followed him out the door.

Sacchi made his name as a coach of Parma in the mid-1980's before he was snapped up by AC Milan in 1987.

In his four seasons at the San Siro, Sacchi was credited with revolutionising European football, creating a stylish side that featured the great Dutch trio of Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, and winning successive European Cups in 1989 and 1990 and the Italian league title.

He took up the post of Italy coach in 1991, steering them to the final of the 1994 World Cup where they lost to Brazil on penalties.

But he quit two years later after a disappointing Euro 96, when the side failed to get beyond the first round.

He had an unsuccessful second spell in charge of Milan before joining Atletico Madrid in 1998, but left in mid-season complaining of exhaustion after a run of three league defeats.

He reappeared as Parma coach in January 2001, but resigned after less than a month citing stress as his reason.

Ten months later he returned to the club for a third time as technical director and remained there until joining Real Madrid last December.