Madrid, May 17: Real Madrid's spectacular end-of-season collapse continued when they recorded their fourth straight loss, going down ignominiously 2-1 at already-relegated bottom club Murcia.
Never before, since the Spanish League started 75 years ago, have Real suffered such a losing streak.
To add to the misery, David Beckham was sent off after 36 minutes yesterday for protesting over a lineman's decision.
The England captain could face a suspension that stretches into next season as he continued to scream obcenities at the official long after being shown the red card, and jeeringly applauded the decision when he finally left the field.
The agony started early as Murcia, with former Real coach John Toshack at the helm, opened the scoring after just two minutes.



Luis Garcia was on hand to tap the ball in after Real's Spanish international keeper Iker Casillas, normally one of the safest guardians in the top flight of Spanish football, failed to hang onto a header by Richi Perez.



One goal would have been enough for Luis Garcia to prove a point. He was the top scorer for the Real Madrid reserve team last season before being discarded last summer, but Luis Garcia added to Real's embarrassment with Murcia's second from the penalty spot after 33 minutes.



Ivan Helguera was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball in the area but many pundits were quick to point out it could be called natural justice after the number of dubious penalties Real themselves have been awarded this season.



Jose Maria 'Guti' Gutierrez got one back for Real in injury time but it was too late to snatch a point.



Real slip to third in the Spanish first division, two points behind their bitter rivals Barcelona, who beat Racing Santander 1-0 earlier yesterday.



The defeat also raises the spectre of Real having to cancel lucrative tours to the United States and Asia this summer.



If they finish third, Real will have to play in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League in July and August.


Bureau Report