David Beckham admitted that his first appearance for Real Madrid in Spain in Sunday's goalless draw with Valencia 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.
"It couldn't get any worse," he added with a shrug and a smile.
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.
"It was a good work-out for us. We need to get a few more games under our belts."
Beckham was signed from Manchester United in a deal worth up to 35 million euros to add further sparkle to a Real side already featuring the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Raul and Ronaldo.
There was little that was out of this world from "los galacticos" on Sunday, though, as the absence of Claude Makelele - the French midfielder currently involved in a pay dispute with the club - took its toll.
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, leaving 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.
"It's an amazing time for me," he said. "I'm really enjoying the games, the training and living in Madrid."
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