Decision to discard Beckham taken jointly, says Capello

MADRID, Jan 15 (Reuters) Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello said it was a joint decision to discard David Beckham for the rest of the season after he decided to join Los Angeles Galaxy.

''It was the technical team, which includes me, my assistant Franco Baldini and sporting director Predrag Mijatovic, who took the decision,'' Capello told a news conference yesterday.

''If a player has a contract (with another club) it isn't right that you continue to treat him as just another player.'' The former England captain turned down a contract extension at Real and announced on Thursday his new deal, which will take him to the United States at the end of the season.

Capello responded the following day, saying the 31-year-old would only train with the squad and not play for his last six months in the Spanish capital.

Beckham watched from the stands yesterday as Real beat Real Zaragoza 1-0 to climb within two points of leaders Sevilla.

At a tense news conference Capello was asked what the difference was between Beckham deciding to leave while still under contract to the club and the Italian's decision to join former club AC Milan a decade ago while still Real coach.

''The difference is the American league starts in April and mine didn't. I told the club president first and that's a little different. Also I hadn't actually signed the contract,'' he said.

When reporters tried to ask more questions about Beckham, Capello added: ''I think we've talked enough about Beckham.'' The Real coach also asked to be forgiven for a rude gesture he twice made to some fans sitting in the stands near the dugout as he left the pitch at the end of the game.

''I want to apologise for what I did. Since the first day I arrived there have been two people behind the bench who have continually offended me and today it went too far,'' he said.

''They are the same ones that were here ten years ago, but I shouldn't have done what I did,'' added Capello.

REUTERS PDS KP0949