Julien Faubert: I Can’t Wait To Defend Real Madrid’s Colours

Real Madrid completed their January business with the surprise signing West Ham United’s Julien Faubert on loan until the end of the season.

The Frenchman was given his formal club presentation yesterday in the Santiago Bernabeu Press Room instead of the traditional Presidential Balcony, because of bad weather.

Madrid’s interim chief, Vicente Boluda, accompanied by a number of directors, Predrag Mijatovic and Alfredo di Stefano, ushered the player onto the stage with an opening speech.

Boluda said, “The club board has listened to the requests of the team’s coaching staff and has reached an agreement to have Faubert on loan until June 20, after which we will have the option to sign him on a three-year contract.

“We welcome a great player to the club. Faubert? You now have the opportunity to show off the qualities that you possess. This is a chance of a lifetime and you have to take maximum advantage of it.

“Real Madrid will be your home and we demand devotion, compromise, team spirit and titles. We hope you are happy here.”

The 25-year-old Faubert was then given the No. 18 jersey by di Stefano, a number that he will inherit from Ruben de la Red, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

The French right-winger then proceeded to give a brief speech: “I am very happy to receive this shirt from a leading football personality like Alfredo di Stefano.

“I can’t wait to defend these colours,” he concluded, before jogging out onto the icy Bernabeu turf in the rain where he was greeted by only 53 subdued fans, a sharp contrast to the fanfare that Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Lassana Diarra and Rafael van der Vaart received during their presentation.

KS Leong, Goal.com