Beckham facing month out

Hairline fracture
The England captain suffered a hairline fracture to his rib during one of two clashes with Wales left-back Ben Thatcher in Saturday's FIFA World Cup qualifier, the latter of which earned him a yellow card which rules him out of tomorrow's game against Azerbaijan in Baku. Beckham, who scored a spectacular goal in the 2-0 success, said: "If you come back too soon, you can damage it again. I am in constant pain. I'll be out for four to five weeks."

'Light training'
Beckham said he will "struggle to make" England's friendly against Spain in November, although doctors at the Santiago Bernabéu do not envisage a lengthy lay-off for the 29-year-old. "On Wednesday, David Beckham will be in Madrid and will be able to return to light training in the gym," said a member of Madrid's medical team. "His return to the playing field depends on how he progresses in the coming days and on the pain."

Dynamo next
Beckham seems certain to be missing when Madrid play the first of successive UEFA Champions League matches against FC Dynamo Kyiv next Tuesday. Should the player's prognosis be correct, he will also sit out the return in Ukraine on 3 November. Beckham's Madrid and England team-mate Jonathan Woodgate was yesterday sidelined for ten weeks despite not needing surgery on a torn thigh muscle.