MADRID, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- They call Real Valladolid's Nuevo Zorrilla stadium "The pneumonia¹ ground" because in winter it is one of the coldest grounds in Spain.

    It was not that cold on Saturday night, nevertheless Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster must have felt an icy chill running down his spine² at the end of his side's 1-0 defeat to Valladolid.

That defeat, which was just deserved, against a side determined³ to forget their 6-0 thrashing away to Barcelona a week ago, has put Schuster's head on the block.

    All that needs to happen now is for the axe⁴ to fall and it looks as if Schuster is sharpening the blade himself.

Sunday saw a voluntary training session held at Real Madrid's Valdebebas training ground. Only five players appeared and of those Javi Garcia was the only footballer, who had played the previous night. What was surprising, however, is that the coach was not there either; Schuster opting⁵ to travel to a family engagement in Salamanca rather than to be seen to be working with his players.

    While the club's Director of Sport Pedja Mijatovic was being booed by supporters at Real Madrid's B team game, Schuster left training in the hands of his number two Manolo Ruiz. That has not gone unnoticed at the club.

    It has been a dreadful week for Real Madrid although a questionable⁶ penalty gave them a 4-3 win against Malaga in the Primera Liga, last Tuesday another 4-3 win spelled disaster.

    This time conceding 3 goals at home meant they were out of the Copa del Rey (which they have not won since 1993) on away goals, defeated by Real Union.

    Real Union may have been a force in the 1930's, but they now play in the third tier of Spanish football. The first game between the two sides had ended 2-1 in Real Union's favor a fortnight earlier and they qualified⁷ thanks to having scored more goals away from home.

    The press called it the biggest humiliation⁸ in Madrid's history, adding that defeat against Valladolid would mean the end for Schuster.

    It was hinted the players wanted him out and the fact that he never even talked to them in the dressing⁹ room following the Cup exit, hints at a breakdown¹⁰ of communication. When asked if the players were willing to dig deep to save his job, Schuster himself was far from clear on the issue.

    "We'll see that in Valladolid," was all he said on Friday.

    Logic¹¹ says if Schuster is to be sacked, now is the moment to do so. With a week before the next game and half of the squad¹² away on international duty, a new man would have time to bed in before they entertain Recreativo Huelva.

    Should Schuster be sacked after next weekend, any replacement¹³ would have only two days before what is possibly Real Madrid's most important game of the season so far: a Champions League game away to Belarus team Bate¹⁴ Borisov.

    A defeat in Belarus would probably see Real Madrid out of the Champions League. That would spell disaster for the club and even club president Ramon Calderon might not survive such a failure.

    The big question now is "can he afford to take that risk?"