Real Madrid hijacked Barcelona's deal to sign Premier League star in 2003 - Reports
Real Madrid famously snatched David Beckham from under the nose of Barcelona in the summer of 2003, playing off confusion and timing to claim the England captain. A report from Spanish outlet AS has now revealed how Los Blancos managed to get Beckham, despite the Blaugrana's expectations that he would join them.
Barca’s then-presidential candidate Joan Laporta had announced that he was set to finalize an agreement in terms of bringing Beckham to Camp Nou. He essentially promised Beckham's emergence as a Barca player if he was elected president. However, the midfielder himself was never told about it, and had other ideas.
The saga played out as Laporta used Beckham’s name to fuel his election campaign, announcing a deal with Manchester United in public. The Red Devils' website also reportedly announced that the offer from Laporta was “acceptable”. When Beckham learned about it from a friend while on holiday, he was frustrated at being excluded from the conversation.
He returned to England intent on settling his future on his own terms, and Real Madrid were already an available option, having sowed the seeds earlier. They had already set their sights on Beckham as the next ‘Galactico’ to join the club, as they got Zinedine Zidane to approach Beckham during a Champions League tie at Old Trafford.
The Frenchman successfully planted the idea of a move to the Spanish capital, ahead of the summer window. With Beckham at Old Trafford and pushing for an exit, Madrid made their interest official with a bid of £25 million, which was accepted by United in June 2003. Barcelona learned that he had rejected them and quickly signed Ronaldinho from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) instead.
Rafael Nadal backs Real Madrid over Barcelona amid fierce Champions League race
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has spoken ahead of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, backing Real Madrid in the face of fierce opposition from the rest of the continent. A lifelong Madrid fan, Nadal admitted that Barcelona had a terrific season but insisted that history and the grit to endure make Los Blancos a serious threat.
He said in a recent interview, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo (via Barca Universal):
“There are teams like PSG, Bayern Munich, Inter, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Real Madrid, who have won the tournament 15 times. So, I wouldn’t talk about Barcelona as a big favorite. I would speak of Barcelona as a great candidate."
He added:
“It is true that Barcelona are playing spectacular football, with an incredible season. They are clear contenders for everything. No one has given Real Madrid up for dead and they will fight for everything until the end and we will see what happens.”
Arsenal will face Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, while PSG will face Aston Villa. Barca also take on Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich will clash with Inter Milan.