Luxemburgo prepares for brief encounter at the Bernabeu

Vanderlei Luxemburgo is preparing for a bizarre debut as Real Madrid coach today at 6 p.m. (Malta time) when he takes charge for the remaining seven minutes of his side's league match against Real Sociedad.

The Brazilian, who was appointed coach in a whirlwind deal last week, will barely have time to settle into the dugout to watch his team complete a game that was abandoned because of a bomb scare last month.

Players, fans and officials were forced to evacuate the Bernabeu three minutes from time with the scores at 1-1 after police received a warning that a bomb would explode at the stadium.

With the referee deciding to add four minutes of extra time the two teams will now play the remainder of the match in what promises to be one of the briefest encounters in footballing history.

It is not the first time that a game at the Bernabeu has had to be abandoned and then completed at a later date. Judging by past events neither side can take anything for granted.

The King's Cup final between Deportivo and Valencia was abandoned in the 79th minute with the scores at 1-1 after torrential rain flooded the Real Madrid stadium in 1995.

The game was restarted 72 hours later with Deportivo midfielder Alfredo scoring in the opening minute to ensure the Galicians of a first major trophy in the history of the club.

For today's game both clubs will be permitted to make changes to the teams that had to leave the pitch on December 12, but Real's Luis Figo will be unavailable because he was replaced by Michael Owen in the original match.

¤ Oswaldo de Oliveira took over as coach of Santos, replacing Vanderlei Luxemburgo after he left the Brazilian champions to join Real Madrid. Oliveira, who was Luxemburgo's assistant earlier in his career, had been out of a job since he was fired by Vitoria in August.