Soccer-Guti takes the plaudits after Real run riot at Bernabeu

By Simon Baskett

MADRID, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Real Madrid playmaker Guti walked away from his side's 7-0 destruction of Valladolid on Sunday with the plaudits of the Bernabeu ringing in his ears and the Spanish media crying for his recall to the national side.

The 31-year-old midfielder scored two and had a hand in five more as he turned in a virtuoso performance in front of the delighted home crowd.

"When you grant a player a place in the starting line-up you want him to return the confidence you have shown in him and that is exactly what I'm getting from Guti," Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster told reporters.

"He is a great passer of the ball, he's got that element of surprise because he sees the player a second earlier than anyone else. I'm really pleased for him because he is more important to this team than he thinks."

Guti made his last appearance for Spain three years ago, but despite a series of high-class performances for Real this season, national team coach Luis Aragones has failed to recall the midfielder.

Sunday's display will only serve to increase the pressure on the Spain boss to change his mind before Euro 2008.

"Spanish football has got a problem if they don't make use of Guti," Marca's leading football writer Santiago Segurola said in his write-up of Sunday's match. "He has been overlooked as if he is just any old player and that he is not.

"His performance against Valladolid was prodigious in terms of both quantity and quality."