Beckham out to erase bad memories

Spanish La Liga:As a comment on his time at Real Madrid, it was as telling as it was sad. Asked this week for his fondest memory from four years in Spain, David Beckham paused, cast his mind back briefly and replied: "Signing for the club."

It may not have been his intention, but the message was clear: ever since that sweltering summer day when he arrived by private jet and police cavalcade, it has all gone downhill.

There have been moments of joy and wonder, of course. A debut goal 128 seconds into his league career, a first league victory at the Camp Nou in over 20 years, and a marvellous 70-yard pass volleyed home by Zinedine Zidane against Valladolid stick in the mind. And there have been world tours and adverts and millions of shirts sold, of course.

But Beckham's great obsession has always been to prove he did not come to Madrid to sell merchandise; it is a mantra to which he has returned time and again. "I came here to win things," he said this week, but so far he has not and the disappointments weigh heavily. His arrival has coincided with Madrid's longest trophyless run in over half a century.

Once, there were those that believed that was no coincidence. As the most marketable footballer on the planet, a man bought as much for his image as his ability, he was the embodiment of the failings of the galactico policy. That was never a fair reflection of Beckham's role. The fact that Madrid had to cancel their forthcoming £15 million tour to the US because Beckham was not going to be with them may have underlined what he meant to the club's coffers, but it is his perspiration as much as his inspiration that has won over notoriously demanding fans. "People told me how tough and hard people are to please so I am very glad to have reached their expectations," Beckham said. Anyone who was unsure about Beckham has been won over in spectacular style this season. A season in which Beckham has demonstrated his remarkable taste for resurrection. Booted out of the team and dismissed by his president as a "half-baked actor", he has fought back to play a key role in bringing Madrid to within reach of a trophy at last.

Victory against Real Mallorca tomorrow night would make Madrid champions for the 30th time. For Beckham, the most perfect redemption awaits. "Signing was my best memory," Beckham said, "but I'm hoping that changes on Sunday. What has gone on before doesn't matter, because the game is the biggest thing, the biggest opportunity for me, the players, and the club to win a trophy. And that's what I came here for."

The build-up to the final round of matches has been dominated by talk of illegal third party incentive payments.

All week the Spanish media have been reporting that briefcases full of money will be changing hands this weekend as clubs do their best to encourage other teams to beat their rivals. While such payments are not permitted under Spanish Football Federation rules, some players say they are commonplace. Leaders Real Madrid and Barcelona, tied on 73 points, and outsiders Sevilla two points further back, all have a chance of clinching the league title. Mallorca, safe from relegation and out of the running for Europe, have nothing other than pride to play for, which is where talk of the incentive payments comes in. "Unfortunately it (the issue of incentives) has been the theme of the week," Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano told sports daily Marca yesterday. "Now if we lose people will say it was because Real paid us, and if we win it was because Barcelona paid us. You can't buy and sell honour and glory in football with money."

Earlier this week, Mallorca defender Sergio Ballesteros said that the whole furore surrounding payments only served to undermine the reputation of the game. "I'm not in favour of incentives because they are illegal. They question the professionalism of players and I don't want anyone questioning mine," he said.

• Guardian Service

On Television: Real Madrid v Mallorca (Sky Sports 3, Sunday, kick-off 8pm)