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Beckham retains Real place
MADRID (AFP) - Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello, who last week backtracked on his decision to sideline US-bound David Beckham, has named the former England captain in his squad for February 17 match against Real Betis.
Beckham marked the equalizer in Real´s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad in the Spanish League match on February 10 that marked his return to the club after spending a month on the sidelines.
The 31-year-old had been out of favour with Capello since he annouced he would leave the Spanish giants to play for LA Galaxy in the United States once his contract with Real finishes at the end of this season.
Beckham had last played in the 2-0 defeat against Deportivo La Coruna on January 7. But Real´s title hopes had continued to nosedive and that helped pave the way for his return.
Asked if he brought Beckham back into his starting line-up out of conviction or out of obligation, Capello said: "No one has ever forced me to do anything. I am a free man that makes up his own mind about things."
The atmosphere in the team since Beckham´s return is "very positive", the Real Madrid coach added. "I see this in the efforts they make during training," he said.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas said meanwhile that Beckham´s return to the squad had given the team a boost.
"He is a great professional and the coach has realised that he is a very influential and very important player for the team," he said in an interview published in sports daily Marca.
"As a person he is an example for many. He was always respectful and polite throughout the situation in which he found himself," he added.
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