The newspaper El Mundo gave him no marks - though it was out three and not 10 as has been reported - and proclaimed: "Beckham who lacks class, also lacked spark".The reaction was fuelled by a perception that Beckham is not settling. And so his new career was written off after two barren appearances - a friendly against Valencia, in which he was cautioned and withdrawn after 54 minutes, and the first-leg of the Super Cup against Real Mallorca in Palma last Sunday when he was again substituted."Over-hyped, over-rated and useless," was the verdict of one publication, As, which also awarded him its Vaya Dia ("What a dreadful day") award. If the 28-year-old ever thought the media in England were quick to judge, then clearly he is faced with the supreme court of summary justice in Spain. It is, as the departing Steve McManaman calls it, the "unwritten rule" of life in what is sometimes referentially, sometimes disparagingly, referred to as the "white galaxy" of Real Madrid. Beckham's place in the top-half of the hierarchy, following his £24.5m move from Manchester United, remains secure for this season despite a fortnight in which he has gone from hero to zero and back again. All will play against Real Betis, a tricky, combative side, because this is a big game and in the big games, come the big names. After his debut for Madrid, his debut on Spanish soil and his debut in competition comes David Beckham's first appearance in La Liga - the most intense and demanding of domestic standards. It will take place at the magnificently daunting Santiago Bernabeu stadium, the 75,000-capacity home of the self-styled most glamorous and talented football club in the world.
There will be six "galacticos" in the firmament this evening - Raul, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and, now, Beckham. "We're going to have to wait to see how serious the various knocks are," Steve Kember, Palace's manager, said.Norwich travel to Nottingham Forest for today's televised match at 5.35pm, with manager Nigel Worthington saying: "Obviously we're expecting a significant improvement on last season's showing [a 4-0 defeat].". Tonight, it's the Real deal. They travel to Bradford today looking for a third consecutive victory that could lift them to the top of the table."Winning the last two games has given us a bit confidence," Marcus Stewart, the Sunderland striker, said.
"I will be expecting to score and we will be expecting to get three points - that is the confidence that's flowing through everybody at the moment."Bradford have slumped to two successive 1-0 defeats after picking up four points from their first two fixtures.At the top, Crystal Palace go into the south London derby at Millwall with injury doubts, including Dougie Freedman. They will meet an Ipswich side that has yet to see a win in four games."It's not down to a lack of effort, but we just haven't come to terms with things this season," Jim Magilton, Ipswich's captain, said. "We're disappointed and upset about it, and we feel for our fans because they deserve better. Two points from four games simply isn't good enough and a lot of the players are just not performing as we can."Sunderland, who know how bad things can get, seem revitalised after two Bank Holiday wins following 17 straight defeats, believe their woes are over.
