Bernabéu braced for brief encounter

By Andy Hall

Spain's Primera División reopens for the new year with undoubtedly one of the most peculiar meetings in football history. Real Madrid CF welcome Real Sociedad de Fútbol for the remaining six minutes of a fixture that was suspended last month with the score at 1-1.

Original scenario
The two clubs originally met on 12 December. Madrid then occupied second place in the table, nine points adrift of leaders FC Barcelona. They did, however, go into the game at full strength. Real, meanwhile, were loitering in the lower half of the table and missing injured playmaker Valeri Karpin and Aitor López Rekarte with flu; both now available.

Bomb scare
Madrid took the lead shortly before half-time through Ronaldo only for Nihat Kahveci to level on 71 minutes. But there would be only a further 17 minutes of play as the match was stopped and stadium evacuated when club security received a bomb alert, later discovered to have been a hoax. Tonight's action will include four minutes of added time.

Different story
Much has changed since then. Madrid have dropped to fifth and trail Barça by 13 points - leading to the departure of coach Mariano García Remón and appointment of Vanderlei Luxemburgo. Real have safely manoeuvred into mid-table. A Spanish Football Federation ruling states that neither club will be able to reintroduce players substituted during the original fixture - therefore, Madrid will be without Luís Figo and Real will be missing Bittor Alkiza and Xabi Prieto - although changes can be made to the lineups which left the field.

Bizarre debut
Luxemburgo could not have a stranger first game in charge. He said: "In football, you can play two minutes, three or 90 and we are going to do what we need to do to win the game in six. It is feasible that either team can win - or lose - but I am only a coach, not a magician." Free admission for those who are not already season ticket holders should ensure the stands are filled ahead of the 18.00CET kick-off.

Points at stake
Real coach José María Amorrortu said: "In six minutes there will be chances for both sides, I'm convinced of that. We must not forget that three points are still at stake and we will have the advantage of starting off with possession of the ball and so we must make the most of that."

Deja vú
Curiously, the Bernabéu held a similar truncated game nearly a decade ago. The Copa del Rey final between RC Deportivo La Coruña and Valencia CF on 24 June 1995 was halted in the 79th minute because of a waterlogged pitch. The remaining minutes were played three days later and produced a goal - Alfredo Santaelena scoring a winner for Depor within 60 seconds of the restart.