Real Madrid Appoint Bernd Schuster As Their New Manager

Real Madrid have named former Getafe boss Bernd Schuster as their new coach. The 47-year-old is Real's eighth manager in four years and replaces Fabio Capello, who was sacked at the end of last month despite leading the club to the La Liga title.

"This is a very happy day for me and I would like to thank the club for giving this opportunity to a young coach," said Schuster, a former Real and Germany midfielder. "This is not a new home for me as I played here for two seasons. I'm sure that on my first day as coach it will be like when I was a player and I have the same desire to triumph at the club."

President Ramon Calderon said he thought Schuster was the perfect fit for the Bernabeu vacancy. "It seems to me that his teams play good, entertaining football," he said. "He knows the club and knows how to handle a dressing room full of stars."

Schuster spent the past two seasons with Getafe and was tied to the club for a further season, but bought himself out of his current contract after Real insisted they would not pay a transfer fee to sign a coach. He guided Getafe to consecutive ninth-placed finishes in La Liga and to a first final of the King's Cup, where they lost to Sevilla. But what impressed the Real hierarchy most was the attacking brand of football his team played, and he will be expected to marry that style with trophies next season.