Real Madrid Brazilian players cause stir
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-05 10:09

Welcome to the Real Madrid zoo.

Real Madrid's Brazilian player Ronaldo, top, leap frogs over teammateRoberto Carlos after Roberto Carlos scored against Mallorca during a Spanish league soccer match at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid Sunday Oct. 2, 2005. [AP]

Several Brazilian players on the traditional Spanish soccer power have taken to celebrating goals by imitating animals — a cockroach, frog and horse, in particular — and the displays aren't going over too well with teammates and opponents.

Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Julio Baptista have scored six of Madrid's seven goals in recent league victories over Alaves and Mallorca and, together with Robinho, have put on the shows.

"They're not doing it out of spite, they're doing it to celebrate, but if I played in the other team and they scored four goals against me I'd think they were making fun of me," Madrid teammate Ivan Helguera told the news agency Efe.

The Spanish defender said he had given Roberto Carlos a kick after one of the animal impressions during the Mallorca game last Sunday.

"I think goals should be celebrated in a group and by the team. I prefer a group celebration because it's not just Roberto or Ronaldo who win but the whole team," Helguera said.

The Brazilians' fad has received a mixed reaction. Some have treated it as harmless while others have said it is divisive.

Alaves president Dmitry Piterman called Ronaldo, Robinho and Roberto Carlos "clowns" and "spoilt kids" for wiggling their arms and legs while lying on their backs like a cockroach during Madrid's 3-0 win on Sept. 25.

Spain's Anti-Violence Commission requested the country's soccer federation to open a disciplinary charge against Piterman for his outburst.

Madrid, whose coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo is also Brazilian, stands third in the 20-team league after six games.

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