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Figo scorns Madrid gossip

Luís Figo insists that rumours of dressing-room unrest at Real Madrid CF are false.

By Brian Brownstein

After a comprehensive 3-0 defeat in their opening UEFA Champions League game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Real Madrid CF's Luís Figo is demanding a vastly improved performance against AS Roma as they face the Italian side at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium tonight.

'Bad night'
"We know we must produce a convincing display against Roma to silence our critics," he told uefa.com. "We had a bad night against Leverkusen and there were many things that went wrong. The tactical system had changed and I don't think the players had fully adapted. We just weren't concentrating. It was a shock to our system.

Roma class
"Now we have the chance to recover, but it won't be easy against Roma," he added. "They have not been playing well either but the Champions League is different. It will be a very difficult game - they have [Francesco] Totti and [Antonio] Cassano and experience in the likes of [Christian] Panucci. We won't be taking them lightly."

Shaky start
Madrid have not been at their best - coach José Antonio Camacho's resignation shortly after Matchday 1 reflected that - and performances have remained shaky under his successor, Mariano García Remón. The 2001 FIFA World Footballer of the Year is only too aware of that, but remains convinced that better days lie ahead.

Patience required
"It has not been easy for us in recent weeks," said the 31-year-old. "The fans are on our backs but we must respect them. We play for our supporters and we try to do our best, put on a spectacle and win. But we have not been finding the right way. I understand the fans' frustration but they must be patient. We have just started the season and the important thing is not how we start, but how we finish."

Player power
Many blamed player power and the whims of Madrid's 'galácticos' for precipitating Camacho's departure, but Figo is resolute that no player is big enough to dictate terms at the club. "It is up to the coach to decide who plays and who doesn't," he said. "I didn't have any doubts that Camacho was the right coach, but he left. If it was me I would have waited a while longer, but I'm not Camacho.

Normal team
"I don't like the word 'galácticos'," added the former Portuguese international. "We're a team of players who like to play football, enjoy what we do on the pitch and win games. That is what the fans want and what we try to do. Whoever our coach is, we must concentrate on producing the best results and think only of the team."

Owen rumours
Still rumours persist that the arrival of new players in the summer, and former Liverpool FC striker Michael Owen in particular, have upset the fine balance in the Madrid squad. However, Figo has no truck with such allegations. "Rumours that Michael Owen has not been welcomed by the rest of the dressing room are false," he said. "I think Michael is a great player, very intelligent, and I predict he will have his chance to play and will make the fans happy.

Unwelcome competition
"Of course, nobody likes it if the club signs a player who will be a rival for them in their position. But we are professional and know perfectly well that we have to work hard to earn our starting place. Everybody thinks Michael is a great pro in good shape and can make the team better."

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