Becks earns red for rant

Matt Lawton|Daily Mail13 April 2012

David Beckham's Real Madrid season came to a sensational end last night when he was sent off for the fourth time in his career as his club struggled against bottom-ofthe-table Real Murcia.

The England skipper was dismissed for mouthing the phrase 'hijo de puta' - Spanish for 'son of a bitch' - at a linesman in the 35th minute, moments after former Real player Luis Garcia had put the home side 2-0 up from the penalty spot.

Beckham let his frustration boil over at the dubious spot-kick awarded against Ivan Helguera for handball and sarcastically clapped the official as he trudged dejectedly off the pitch - his second dismissal in a Real shirt.

The 29-year-old midfielder will now miss Real's final game in the Bernabeu next weekend against Real Sociedad, and if reports are true, last night's game will be his last appearance in the Spanish club's famous white shirt.

Beckham will then return to England to join Sven Goran Eriksson's 2004 European Championship squad. Ashley Cole, one certain member of the 23-man squad to be announced by Eriksson in London today, has revealed how the idea of facing Arsenal's French strike force at this summer's European Championships in Portugal fills him with dread.

The England left back has enjoyed life in the Premiership's finest defence, while Thierry Henry and Robert Pires have terrorised opponents throughout their unbeaten season.

But now Cole and Arsenal colleague Sol Campbell must prepare for a challenge they only ever normally encounter on the training pitch - and stop them scoring against England in Lisbon on June 13. 'It's scary,' said Cole after receiving his championship medal at Highbury. 'You want to play in the big games, but it's going to be a really hard one against France. Everyone knows it.

'The England boys will be confident. With players such as Steven Gerrard, you have to feel you can get a result. 'But you have to be a bit scared because of the players they have. Sol is a great player and I'm sure it will be a tough battle, but I've trained with Thierry and you can't stop him. He's been great for us. Hopefully, he's used up all his energy playing for Arsenal.'

Eriksson is expected to call on Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and Tottenham's Ledley King as cover for Campbell and John Terry, while despite saying in March that Tottenham's Jermain Defoe was one for the future rather than this summer, Tord Grip may have changed his boss's mind and he may be tempted to either take a fifth striker or select him ahead of Darius Vassell.

Lawton's probable squad: Goalkeepers: James (Man City), Robinson (Tottenham), Walker (Leicester City). Defenders: G Neville and P Neville (Man United), Campbell (Arsenal), Terry (Chelsea), Carragher (Liverpool), King (Tottenham), A Cole (Arsenal), Bridge (Chelsea). Midfielders: Beckham (Real Madrid), Dyer (Newcastle), Gerrard (Liverpool), Scholes (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Butt (Man Utd), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), J Cole (Chelsea). Strikers: Owen (Liverpool), Rooney (Everton), Heskey (Liverpool), Vassell (Aston Villa).

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