Three-week lay-off for Beckham

David Beckham will miss Manchester United FC's opening UEFA Champions League second group stage match at FC Basel after being ruled out for three weeks with a rib fracture.

Out of draw
Beckham aggravated the injury against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Wednesday, and after undergoing tests was unable to play in their Sunday English Premiership match at West Ham United FC, which was drawn 1-1 to keep United in fifth place.

Absence confirmed
Initial reports suggested that the English international captain could be out for six weeks, but United's official website announced that his absence will be for half that time. Beckham's club-mates Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane and Nicky Butt are already ruled out through injury.

Group D test
United will take on Basel, RC Deportivo La Coruña and Juventus FC in Champions League Group D, after winning a pool containing Leverkusen, Maccabi Haifa FC and Olympiakos Piraeus FC as they attempt to emulate their 1999 victory in the competition after reaching the 2001/02 semi-finals.