Real contest Beckham decision

David Beckham will be hoping for a reprieve from the Spanish FA after Real Madrid confirmed they will be appealing against the red card he received during Sunday’s Primera Liga match with Valencia.

The England captain was shown a yellow card by referee Arturo Dauden Ibanez for protesting against a foul committed by Raul with three minutes remaining in the clash at the Bernabeu stadium.

Beckham then half turned his back on Ibanez and applauded, an action which earned him the red card.

Real confirmed in a statement on their official website that they would be lodging an appeal against the decision with the Spanish FA’s disciplinary committee, who meet today.

“In the 87th minute the player David Beckham was sent off for applauding in a mocking way after being booked,” the referee wrote in his post-match report.

Beckham is now set to miss Wednesday’s trip to Deportivo La Coruna through suspension.

Meanwhile, Real midfielder Pablo Garcia claimed he “wanted to cry” after the sending-off of his team-mate.

“I am not going to cry because we don’t do that, but I want to,” said Uruguayan Garcia, who was himself booked after just 18 seconds of the match.

“It is the first time I have ever seen such a fast sending-off. The referee wanted to impose his law.”

The incident was similar to England striker Wayne Rooney’s dismissal in Manchester United’s Champions League encounter with Villarreal last month.

That ironically occurred after Rooney was widely criticised for a fiery international display against Northern Ireland, when he had an on-field row with Beckham, who was trying to pacify him. Beckham later invited Rooney to Madrid to smooth over the matter.

Beckham’s transgression also comes just two weeks after he was sent off for two quick bookings in England’s World Cup qualifier against Austria.

His frustration got the better of him on Sunday with his side already down to 10 men after the sending-off of of former Everton midfielder Thomas Gravesen.