Real Madrid coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo has defended David Beckham, saying he is the hardest-working player at the club.
”He is the player who works hardest here and he plays in a position which isn’t his,” Luxemburgo said in an interview with sports daily As, published on Wednesday. ”He has had to make a few adjustments. He sacrifices himself for the team.”
Beckham has come under fire since the slump that left Madrid, whose best-known players are nicknamed the ”Galacticos”, facing a second straight season without a major trophy.
Madrid were eliminated by Juventus from the Champions League two weeks ago and lie 11 points behind leader FC Barcelona in the Spanish league, with nine rounds remaining.
The Brazilian coach rejected the suggestion that Beckham is picked more for marketing purposes than his value on the field.
”He doesn’t play because he sells shirts,” Luxemburgo said. ”They say the Galacticos are untouchable and everybody’s waiting on me to sit one of them on the bench.
”I’m in charge and, to demonstrate this, I don’t need to sit a Galactico on the bench.”
Beckham, who turns 30 next month, has said he wants to see out the remaining two years of his contract.
Spanish media have reported Madrid may get rid of several players, including Beckham and Luis Figo, at the end of the season.
Luxemburgo refused to be drawn on the subject.
”We can’t be talking about changes,” Luxemburgo said. ”There are questions to which I say, ‘Next question,’ and this is one of them.” — Sapa-AP