Position: Defender
Born: 22.03.78

Club: Inter Milan

Walter Samuel has spent most of this season trying to rebuild a career tarnished by one disastrous season at Real Madrid.

When the strong central defender moved to the Bernabeu for £18million in the summer of 2004, he was seen as the answer to Real's defensive woes.

But within months he was a figure of fun in the Spanish media after some disastrous displays. He never really settled in La Liga and was a weakness for Real rather than the strength they expected.

Prior to his move to Spain, Samuel had become one of Europe's top defenders during a highly successful sell at Roma.

Under the stewardship of Fabio Capello, Samuel helped his side when the Serie A title in 2001. And even when that team started to break up, he continued to be a rock on which opposing defences floundered.

Despite his Spanish misery, Samuel's reputation clearly didn't take much of a knock back in Italy.

For Inter were quick to snap up both him and fellow Argentina Santiago Solari last summer.

Since then Samuel has gone some way to finding top form once again.

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