Beckham in tunnel bust-up after spitting row
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-07-26 09:20

"Toda was very dirty," he told reporters. "He kicked Beckham when the ref wasn't looking. At halftime some of the players got over-excited."

TODA INJURY

Toda, who left the pitch on a stretcher with damaged ligaments in his right arm after a late tackle, denied that he had deliberately spat at Beckham.

"Beckham kicked me and I swore at him," he said. "Some spit flew but it didn't hit him. That's why he got angry I think.

"They were fouling a lot and so were we. But Beckham kicked me and that annoyed me."

Verdy's caretaker manager Nobuhiro Ishizaki tried to calm his players after the blazing tunnel row.

"I told the players I didn't want them going out committing fouls and upsetting Real's players," he said. "But it was a very physical game and these things happen."

Beckham played almost an hour after missing Saturday's 3-2 victory over Beijing Guo'an with a hamstring injury. Real take on J-League side Jubilo Iwata on Wednesday before finishing their money-spinning tour with a friendly in Thailand.