Beckham confident Real can improve

DAVID BECKHAM is confident Real Madrid can put a disappointing start to the season behind them when the Primera Liga restarts after the winter break.

Real have already suffered five league defeats and will start the new year 13 points adrift of arch-rivals Barcelona, who are setting a blistering pace at the top of the table.

Barca have been in phenomenal form and misfiring Real are not the only team to have been left standing by Frank Rijkaard’s troops, who have lost just one of their 17 league matches to date.