Manchester United midfielder David Beckham was this evening omitted from the starting line-up to face Real Madrid at Old Trafford in the crucial Champions League showdown.
Beckham left on the bench for Real clash
Manchester United midfielder David Beckham was this evening omitted from the starting line-up to face Real Madrid at Old Trafford in the crucial Champions League showdown.
Beckham, who has been linked with a £38 million summer move to the Spanish giants, was left on the bench by Alex Ferguson as United looked to overturn a 3-1 first leg deficit in the Champions League quarter-final clash.
The move is bound to fuel speculation that Beckham will quit his only professional club at the end of the season but given the return to fitness of Juan Sebastian Veron, there was a certain sense behind Ferguson's decision.
Beckham has never been able to find a way past Real's brilliant Brazilian full-back Roberto Carlos and in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the Scot had a man bang in form. Solskjaer and Ryan Giggs were entrusted with the task of helping 38-goal Ruud van Nistelrooy drag United back into the contest.
The Dutchman's header in the Bernabeu a fortnight ago has given the home side a glimmer of hope, although only once in the competition's history has any team advanced in the knock-out stages after starting the second leg two goals adrift.
Their hopes were aided by the absence of Raul, who suffered acute appendicitis at training on Monday and was forced to undergo emergency surgery.
Guti took over from the Spanish striker, and the one other change to Real's line-up from the first game saw former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman handed a rare berth in place of Flavio Conceicao, with Zinedine Zidane expected to partner Claude Makelele in central midfield.
Man Utd: Barthez, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Veron, Butt, Keane, van Nistelrooy, Giggs, Solskjaer. Subs: Ricardo, Phil Neville, Blanc, Beckham, Forlan, Fortune, Fletcher.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Salgado, Hierro, Helguera, Carlos, Zidane, McManaman, Figo, Makelele, Ronaldo, Guti. Subs: Cesar, Morientes, Flavio, Portillo, Cambiasso, Solari, Pavon.
Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)