Real Madrid star David Beckham suffered what his coach, Fabio Capello, described Sunday as a ''serious'' injury in the Merengues' 1-1 tie with Getafe on Saturday night.
Beckham looked certain to miss Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League match at Bayern Munich on Tuesday. The injury probably killed any chance of his returning to the England squad for its Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on March 24. And it surely put a scare into MLS officials. Beckham is scheduled to join the Los Angeles Galaxy in July on a five-year contract whose potential value has been estimated at $250 million.
Tests were scheduled for Monday to determine the exact nature of the injury to Beckham's right knee, described as ''an injury to the lateral-internal ligament'' by doctors. Beckham injured himself in the 63rd minute of the Getafe game after he ran into advertising boards along the right wing after trying to chase down a ball.
While Beckham walked off the field a few minutes later, teammate Jose Antonio Reyes had to be carried off on a stretcher after picking up a ligament injury in his left knee during the match against Getafe.