It was a night to remember. Not only for the Spanish La Liga, which saw a breath taking title race come to a thrilling end, but for the hundreds of Real Madrid fans who had filled up the stands of the Santiago Bernabeu. They were there not only to celebrate an expected first silverware in four years but to bid good-bye to two of their best known servants, Roberto Carlos and David Beckham.
With wife Victoria and his three kids in the stands along with good friends Tom Cruise and his wife Katie, Beckham walked in to a rampant crowd ovation chanting ‘Muchos Gracias David’, which means thank you David in Spanish.
The team could not, however, get off to a good start. Mallorca scored and maintained the lead all through the first half, while Barcelona took a 3-0 lead at Gymnastics. Beckham took two free kicks, one in first half when he hit the cross bar and the other, early in the second half, which flew just above the wood work. Real Madrid had to find a way back and after Nistelrooy had walked off with a 33rd minute hamstring problem, they suffered another blow as Beckham aggravated his ankle injury & thus was replaced by Jose Antonio Reyes at the hour mark. This turned out to be a master stroke as the on-loan Arsenal forward scored two of Real’s goals as they won the match 3-1, Diarra scoring the third.
So Real Madrid are champions of Spain again, on the basis of head-to-head record against Barcelona. But now the question is can they cope with Beckham’s exit? For simply reason that the English midfielder has been a sensational after he was called back to first team action in January. So much so that Madrid president Calderon has admitted publicly that the club made a mistake in not offering David an extension but would really like to do that now. A similar confession has also been made by the manager Fabio Cappello who some what rectified his earlier mistake of taking Beckham off the team.
So why is a player who has just been at the club for four years and won just one medal, loved so much by the crowd, when some one like Roberto Carlos has been sidelined? The Brazilian has been the best known left-back in world football and after 11 years at the club, four Spanish titles and two European titles, he wasn’t the eye candy for the humongous crowds that had found their way into the stadium. The reason is simple. Beckham’s gentleman behaviour all throughout his stay, his charm and his fighter like ability, these make him attract such adulation wherever he goes.
He may not be able to still speak Spanish fluently but it is his charm in admitting so sheepishly that makes the crowd love his English ways. He may not be scoring goals by the dozen but it is his fighting ability, to run after the ball again and again, to win tackles or free kicks and then deliver the ball to the strikers with amazing precision that has won him the applause at Bernabeu. Plus the fact that the club hierarchy was so adamant that they could let him go and his performance from then on, proving his utility, is something the crowd endears him for. Ever since he has made his comeback, he has been nothing but spectacular. In short, it can be said, that when Real started their fight back for the title, the moment coincided with Beckham’s return to the team. Sadly he will be deploying his dead ball tricks in LA now.
So will Real suffer financially? Well that is a question which actually cannot be answered. A player like David Beckham is without doubt one of the pre-requisites to bringing in the money, but what is also required is winning. Real have faced a major trophy drought for the last four years but now that they have finally won the title, may actually set the cash registers ringing again despite Beckham leaving. Still this is all just speculation as there are no definitive numbers to prove it.
Becks is off to LA galaxy. He leaves a blazing trail of football mixed with charisma and flamboyance behind in Europe, which will burn bright forever. For none other than David Beckham could have charmed the two greatest clubs in football history for 16 years, Manchester United and Real Madrid. Watch out, United States of America.
BBC :Image Credit: Biografiasyvidas
Via: BBC Sport
