Beckham available for Real’s crunch clash with Sevilla

DAVID BECKHAM will be able to play for Real Madrid in this weekend’s crunch showdown with Sevilla after the Spanish FA overturned the yellow card he received against Athletic Bilbao.

Beckham, 32, was booked in the 74 minute of the 4-1 win over Athletic at San Mames last Sunday for apparent time-wasting while preparing to take a free-kick.

That was the former England captain’s 10th yellow card of the season and meant he was due to serve a ban which would have ruled him out of Sunday’s match with Sevilla at the Bernabeu.

However, the Spanish FA’s competition committee have quashed the booking following an appeal by Madrid, and now Beckham will be available.

Madrid are currently third in the Primera Liga standings, a point behind second-placed Sevilla and two points adrift of leaders Barcelona with six games remaining.

Beckham was unable to take a full part in training on Wednesday as he was suffering from a thigh problem and sore throat, but the midfielder was back among his team-mates on Thursday.

Beckham, who has not won a major trophy since joining Madrid in 2003, is leaving Spain this summer to join Major League Soccer side the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Meanwhile, Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho is set to face Dundee United and Hearts in pre-season after the Bank of Scotland Premier League clubs confirmed they would face Barcelona.

The Spanish giants, who lead the Primera Liga, will head to Scotland for friendlies in late July.

Barcelona have agreed to field their first team, and their match against Hearts will be staged at Murrayfield rather than Tynecastle on July 28.

The match at the home of Scottish rugby is expected to attract a vast crowd, with Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Deco all in line to join Ronaldinho in Frank Rijkaard’s team.