Capello disappointed with Beckham announcement
Fabio Capello has criticised David Beckham for signing his contract with Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy before informing Real Madrid of his decision.
Speaking following Real’s 1-0 Primera Liga win over Real Zaragoza on Sunday, Capello claimed the first the Spanish giants had heard of Beckham’s five-year contract with the Galaxy was after he had agreed the deal.
Beckham, who had been offered a two-year extension by Real, had been free to talk with interested parties from January 1 as his existing contract at the Bernabeu expires this summer.
“He (Beckham) signed his contract before he spoke with Madrid and for me that doesn’t seem right,” said the Real coach.
Capello also defended the decision to omit Beckham from his match-day squad for the remainder of the season.
With a lucrative contract – believed to be worth £128m (€194,500) – already agreed with another club, Capello doubts the former England captain would have been able to give 100% for Real.
“I believe that if a player already has a contract elsewhere then it is not correct to count on him anymore. I still haven’t spoken to him.”
Although he will no longer be representing Real on the pitch, Beckham can still train with the club, and was in attendance at the Bernabeu on Sunday as his team-mates picked up a morale-boosting win over Real Zaragoza.
Beckham watched on from the private boxes at the stadium as his former Manchester United team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the only goal of the game just before the break.
The victory ended a run of back-to-back league defeats for Real and lifts them up to joint second in the standings, two points behind leaders Sevilla.
Van Nistelrooy revealed Beckham had wished his Real team-mates good luck prior to kick-off.
The Dutchman told Sky Sports: “Before the game he was in the dressing room, wishing us well, it was good to see. His attitude is always good, caring for team, for the club. That’s what he will keep doing.
“As players we care for each other and feel for one another if things happen that are not nice for another one. That’s what I had with David.
“We try to support him, be there for him as much as we can. We can’t change that (what has happened) unfortunately.”
On whether the 31-year-old will see out his contract with Real or leave before the end of the season, Van Nistelrooy said: “I don’t have a clue. He will make a decision, maybe he already made his decision but I don’t know anything about that.”
