No Becks, Figo rivalry

Real Madrid's new coach Carlos Queiroz, trying to fit right-sided midfielders David Beckham and Luis Figo into the same team, says he hopes the team's current tour of Asia will help solve the puzzle.

Queiroz, who spent a year with Beckham as assistant coach at Manchester United before following him to Real, sought to defuse media speculation that a battle for the position could evolve between the two midfielders.

"They belong to the midfielder area, but now the most important (is) they belong to the same team," Queiroz told reporters on Saturday in the southwestern China outpost of Kunming.

"We hope after four games during this tour we'll find the right solution to make both players play at the same time."

The addition of Beckham to a star-studded squad has spawned speculation about how Real's dream cast will work and live together. And the Figo-Beckham relationship is one of its most curious sub-plots.

On the field, they have similar qualities. Off it, they share a common language to build on. Figo is one of the few Real players who speaks solid English, while Beckham's Spanish is currently limited to a few phrases.

One of China's leading sport tabloids, Titan Sports, explored the subject on Saturday in a cover story entitled, "Friends and Rivals."

It featured two sharply contrasting photos from Friday: one of the two gazing seriously at each other during their first practice session together, and another of them laughing while strolling side by side out of a dining hall, Figo's arm wrapped around Beckham's shoulder.

"Whatever role they (are) playing, what is important to understand (is) they'll be there to serve Real Madrid and not to serve themselves," added Queiroz.

One answer to the line-up conflict would be to switch Figo to the left flank, the position he played when Queiroz coached the Portuguese youth side and Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese international frequently switches wings for Real and is considered much more versatile than Beckham.

As director of one of the most impressive collections of individual talent ever assembled, Queiroz faces intense pressure to get results. His predecessor Vicente del Bosque was dismissed despite leading Real to their 29th Spanish league title last season.

The eloquent English speaker was in characteristically philosophical form when asked about his mission.

"Our responsibility is all about inspiration, excitement," said Queiroz. "It's all about imagination and trying to find, with work, the right solution."

He declined to comment on del Bosque's departure. "But, what I know in life is you're born and you die. And it is not because when you're born you know you're gonna die that you stop living."