December 9th, 2008 
Lovely Real Madrid C.F have sacked Bernd Schuster as coach after the last Sunday’s 4-3 home defeat by Sevilla, and immediately replaced the German with former Tottenham F.C manager Juande Ramos with an initial six-month deal which will keep him at the Spanish giants until the end of the season.
Real sports director Pedja Mijatovic said he had held a meeting earlier in the day with Schuster, who had “accepted” the decision but “was sad to do so”. “We analyzed everything that has happened in recent months. We saw the difficulties and reached this decision by mutual agreement,” Mijatovic told a news conference. German Schuster, one of a rare breed of footballers who have played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona, was under contract with Real till 2010. 
The 49-year-old led Real to their record 31st league title last season, his first in charge, but has been under pressure as early as November following the club’s elimination from the King’s Cup by third-division Real Union. But it appears the final nail in the coffin was Schuster’s remarks to the Spanish press over the weekend, when he said his injury-riddled side had no chance during Saturday’s game in the Nou Camp against arch rivals Barcelona. “At the Camp Nou now, it’s not possible to win. They are playing really well there and it’s their year,” he said after the match against Sevilla.
Mijatovic denied that Schuster’s comments had been a deciding factor in his departure as reported by the Spanish media while Ramos stressed the need to always seek victory during their joint news conference. “Madrid is a team that whichever game it has to play it will go in with maximum motivation to play it. Barcelona is playing really well but Madrid is playing well enough to not renounce a victory in any stadium in the world,” Ramos said. He guided Tottenham to the League Cup last season but was sacked by the English side in October following the London club’s worst start to the season which left the team at the bottom of the Premier League. But he enjoys a healthy reputation in Spain based on his successes with Sevilla which included two UEFA Cup wins in 2006 and 2007.
“I would like to thank the board for their confidence – I face this job with excitement. It’s everybody’s dream. I hope I don’t let anyone down and that I achieve the successes that this club has set for this season. In most of my previous jobs I have had short contracts. We came to a quick agreement and I’m delighted. If I’m happy at the end of the season then I might extend the contract. Both sides are free to see what happens.”he said.
Schuster enjoyed a successful first year at the Bernabeu, retaining the league title his predecessor Fabio Capello clinched in 2007. But attempts to win it for a third successive time have floundered amid a spate of injuries and Barcelona’s resurgence under new boss Pep Guardiola. On Monday, Mali international Mahamadou Diarra became the latest Real player to be struck down after it emerged he will sidelined for six to nine months because of a knee injury.
The 54-year-old’s, Juande Ramos first game in charge will be Wednesday’s Champions League match at home to Zenit St Petersburg. There is little at stake in the Zenit game, however, as Real have already ensured their qualification for the last 16 which will be contested in late February.
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