Spanish papers pulled no punches in describing David Beckham's dismal debut for Real Madrid on Spanish soil in a scoreless summer trophy match against Valencia, with one paper describing it as gray as the team's shirt.

　　Beckham himself admitted afterward he could have had a better start.

　　"Mediocre Start for Beckham," said the daily El Mundo while the sports paper AS described it as a "Dud."

　　The leading sports daily Marca compared "Real with Beckham, like the team's jersey: Grayish."

　　Two weeks before the Spanish League season begins, star-studded Real was playing well below its best. The star midfielder, playing his fifth match for the reigning titlist since arriving from Manchester United for 35 million euros (US.3 million) in June, was substituted in the 63rd minute after making little impact.

　　Beckham's every move was booed by the 18,000 Valencia supporters at the Mestalla Stadium, and he drew even more ill-feeling in the 39th when he scythed down Spanish international Vicente Rodriguez just inside the Valencia half and received a yellow card.

　　Asked afterward if he thought things would improve, he said: "I'd like to think so. It couldn't get any worse."

　　"We won the game but all the players are tired. It's been a tough week," he added.

　　Real's Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, who was also making his debut with the club in Spain, lacked the services of key French international midfielder Claude Makelele, who has refused to train since Real returned from its Asian tour due to a wage dispute.

　　But even without Makelele, papers pointed out how Real seemed to be choked with some five or six players constantly in the midfield, a problem predicted earlier in the summer with the signing of Beckham.

　　Real won the game 6-5 on penalties.

　　Beckham was this week to join his English teammates for tomorrow's friendly with Croatia.

　　Real visits Mallorca next Sunday for the first leg of the Super Cup and, after the second leg on August 27, kicks off the defense of its title a week later at home to Real Betis.

　　In Italy, Alessandro Del Piero and Mauro German Camoranesi scored in the first half, giving Serie A champion Juventus a 2-0 victory over perennial rival AC Milan to win the Luigi Berlusconi trophy on Sunday night at the San Siro stadium.

　　It was the second consecutive triumph for La Juve within two weeks, avenging to some extent the loss to Milan in a penalty shootout in last season's Champions League final at Manchester.

　　Juventus won the Italian SuperCup in New York earlier this month in a match between the Italian League champion and the Italian Cup titlist.

　　The two teams will face each other again in the Serie A campaign that kicks off on August 31.