Real include rebellious Makelele in squad for Mallorcan test
24/08/2003
Real include rebellious Makelele in squad for Mallorcan test
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PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain (AFP) - Real Madrid
rebel Claude Makelele has been included in the squad to take on domestic Cup
winners Real Mallorca in Sunday's Super Cup first leg.
While the likes of former England man Steve
McManaman, available for transfer, have been left on the sidelines, Real coach
Carlos Queiroz has called on French international Makelele despite his
highly-publicised salary dispute with the Spanish giants.
"He's a guy who is well adapted to the team
and he's known the other lads for years. The fact that he has not trained for a
few days will not affect his performance," Queiroz told Real's official website.
"There are no indications of disciplinary
actions against him by the club and the decision to include him in the squad was
the best thing to do," Queiroz stressed.
The Portuguese coach's comments suggest he
is ready to extend an olive branch to Makelele, just a day after the 30-year-old
told teammates he no longer wants to play for the Spanish champions having
refused to train for a week as a result of his salary dispute.
Makelele is up in arms because many of his
more well-known team-mates, such as David Beckham, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane,
are said to be earning three times his wage.
And the former Nantes star told Queiroz and
colleagues that just because he had returned to training Friday, it did not mean
he wants to stay in Madrid.
According to Marca sports daily, Makalele's
agent Marc Roger is already in Palma de Mallorca ahead of Sunday's Super Cup
first leg hoping to thrash out his future with Real president Florentino Perez.
The Frenchman, who was linked with a move to
Chelsea last week, is under contract with Real for three more seasons.
He defied Real by joining up with the France
team which played Switzerland in a friendly in Zurich on Wednesday, although
France coach Jacques Santini diplomatically declined to pick him.