David Beckham Doubtful for Tuesday’s SuperLiga Game vs. Pachuca
Although he made his Galaxy debut on Saturday, David Beckham may not be able to go Tuesday. (AP Images)
David Beckham missed another training session with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Monday because of a nagging left ankle injury that left him doubtful for the team’s opening game in the SuperLiga. The inaugural tournament, featuring four Major League Soccer teams and four teams from Mexico’s first division, opens on Tuesday with the Galaxy hosting defending Mexican champion Pachuca and Chivas visiting FC Dallas.
Beckham had been scheduled to attend Monday’s news conference in Hollywood, but he stayed away to continue treatment. He has yet to participate in full training since joining the team on July 13.
“We can’t keep running him around, dragging him to press conferences and events,” MLS commissioner Don Garber said. “We just want him to get better.”
However, the injury didn’t prevent the former Real Madrid star and wife, Victoria, from attending a celebrity-studded Welcome the Beckhams to L.A. party on Sunday at a downtown Los Angeles museum. The bash, hosted by Tom Cruise and Will Smith, lasted into the early morning hours.
“He is a very professional guy,” Garber said. “He’s not going to do anything that he doesn’t think is going to support his ability to get better.”
The English superstar played 16 minutes, including four minutes of stoppage time, in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in his Galaxy debut on Saturday. The highlight was a corner kick he took near the end of the game.
Garber said ESPN’s high TV ratings, the sold-out attendance of 27,000, and domestic and international media interest was more than MLS had expected.
“It shows that people have a real desire to see the sport get a lot of attention,” he said. “If you deliver the right things - good players, high-quality competition, some interesting side stories - then we have a chance to really break out of some of the clutter that exists in pro sports.”
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