David Beckham admitted that his first appearance for Real Madrid on Spanish soil could hardly have been any worse.
"I'd like to think things will get better," Beckham told reporters after his workmanlike display in Sunday's pre-season friendly against Valencia. "It couldn't get any worse," he added with a shrug.
Real came away from Mestalla with Valencia's Orange Trophy after taking the penalty shoot-out 6-5 but with two weeks to go before the start of the new season the reigning Spanish champions have a lot of work to do.
Beckham put the side's poor display down to tiredness after the recent tour of the Far East and predicted that further matches in Spain would sharpen the players up.
"It was alright - we won the game," Beckham said. "All the players were a bit tired, though. It's been a tough week and we've been playing catch-up in training after the Far East".
Beckham played the first half wide on the right and after misplacing one ambitious cross-field pass early on he was content just to exchange short passes with his fellow midfielders. At the start of the second half he moved further infield but was equally anonymous, making way for Guti after around an hour. He left the field to some half-hearted jeers from the crowd.
"The coach said he'd be bringing players on and off so it wasn't a surprise," Beckham said. "It's just one of those things." Beckham will play his first competitive fixture for Real in the opening leg of the Spanish Super Cup away to Real Mallorca next Sunday.