Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic insists the decision to omit David Beckham from playing duties is the right one.
Real coach Fabio Capello declared on Saturday that Beckham would no longer feature in his plans following the former England captain's announcement he is to join MLS side the LA Galaxy at the end of the season.
Capello felt that Beckham, whose contract with the Galaxy is worth a reported £128million over five years, could not give 100% to Real in the knowledge that he is leaving in the summer.
And Mijatovic is in full agreement with that, saying: 'Much has been said over the last few days. The coach took a decision and I respect it.
'I think it is logical for a player who has signed a contract with another team to have very limited chances of playing, especially if we take into account that we have many young players who are dying to prove themselves.'
Although the initial suggestion to drop Beckham looks to have come from Capello, the Italian insisted the final decision was a joint one involving the coaching staff and Mijatovic.
'It is the technical staff, Fabio Capello, Pedja Mijatovic and Franco Baldini, who have taken the decision,' he said following Sunday's Primera Liga match with Real Zaragoza.
'This is not only my call, but a decision jointly taken with the club. I believe that if a player already has a contract elsewhere then it is not correct to count on him anymore.'
Beckham watched on from a private box at the Bernabeu on Sunday evening as a new-look Real side beat Zaragoza 1-0.
Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the only goal in the first half as Real bounced back from successive league defeats to move up to joint-second in the table.
