Beckham likes Manchester United's chances
SOCCER DAILY
The Galaxy star has been impressed by his former team's march to the European Champions League semifinals.
In 1999, the last year in which Manchester United won the European Champions League, David Beckham was the player providing that team's telling crosses and wicked free kicks.
Now, United is back on the doorstep. Manager Alex Ferguson's talented-laden squad plays Barcelona in one semifinal game later this month, and Liverpool takes on Chelsea in the other.
On Thursday, Beckham, now with the Galaxy, said his money is on his old team.
"I think they've got a great chance," he said. "They played some great football last night and they've done it all season. They're favorites, I'm sure."
Manchester United knocked AS Roma out in the quarterfinals Wednesday night, after Liverpool had ousted Arsenal the night before. Which team would Beckham want to see ManU avoid in the May 21 final in Moscow?
"I don't care," he said. "A Man United-Liverpool final would be incredible, but it's hard to call because Chelsea have picked up and are playing some good football now. We'll see, but it would be an amazing final, Man United and Liverpool."
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Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit has a different take on the potential finalists.
"I would like, of course, Barcelona and Chelsea," he said. "I would love that."
Gullit played for Chelsea and also cut his coaching teeth with the London club, while Barcelona's coach, FrankRijkaard, was his teammate on the great AC Milan and Dutch national teams of the 1980s.
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Beckham's youngest son, Cruz, was at the Home Depot Center on Thursday morning, kicking a soccer ball around with his nanny while they waited for No. 23 to get through training.
Not to be outdone, Landon Donovan also brought along a new arrival -- in his case a three-month-old pit bull puppy that he and his wife, actress Bianca Kajlich, have named Santiago. "We have to teach him to be submissive," Donovan said, "because we have three other dogs and it could be a problem."
If he really wants Santiago to be submissive, Donovan might consider bringing him to see the Galaxy's opponent Sunday because no one rolls over more easily than winless Toronto FC.
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While the television cameras Thursday were trained on Gullit, Beckham and Donovan, there was also time for a far less illustrious but nonetheless interesting trio.
