Real to contest Beckham red card

The Real Madrid midfielder was sent off on Sunday for sarcastically applauding the referee after he was booked, although the Spanish club will appeal.

The 30-year-old also received a red card for England earlier this month.

"I don't have any problem with him. He will be captain in Germany," Eriksson told the Manchester Evening News.

Beckham is the first England player to be sent off twice for his country but Eriksson is not concerned.

"I have not spoken to him about the dismissal on Sunday. I don't know what happened but you do get sent off in football," added Eriksson.

I don't know why Beckham got sent off. Maybe it's because he's blond and pretty Real Madrid's Pablo Garcia

"It will always be like that. In other countries it is the same."

Sunday's dismissal was Beckham's third in a Real Madrid shirt but team-mate Pablo Garcia believes the England captain is victimised because of his looks.

"I don't know why Beckham got sent off. Maybe it's because he's blond and pretty. Referees are capable of sending him off for that," said the Uruguayan defender.

"I can't understand what the problem was. I doubt he said anything because Beckham doesn't even speak Spanish that well - I can barely understand him on the pitch."

Thomas Gravesen received a straight red card in the same game for a wild challenge on Valencia's Vicente Rodriguez.

The former Everton midfielder admitted he deserved punishment but he added: "I didn't think it would be red - I thought I would only get yellow. I wouldn't have been sent off in England."