Beckham's Argy Bargies just coincidence says Solari

David Beckham's Real Madrid teammate Santiago Solari said the England captain's run-ins with Argentine players was nothing more than coincidence.

Beckham was dismissed against Valencia on Wednesday after clashing with midfielder Pablo Aimar, only his third sending off during the whole of his career.

Real Madrid won the first leg of the Spanish Cup quarter-final, first leg match 3-0 but Beckham will now be suspended for the away return fixture.

Beckham's clashes with Argentine players began in the 1998 World Cup finals in France when he was sent off in an incident with Diego Simeone in the second round.

Since then he has had run-ins with Aldo Duscher, Lionel Scaloni, Jose Luis Acciari as well as Aimar.

Santiago was quoted in Friday's edition of the Daily Mail as saying: "I think it has to be just coincidence that David has all these problems against players from Argentina."

"I always say to him 'Hey man, what's up with the Argentines?' and we always fight about it but we are only joking. I think David is a fantastic guy. He likes Argentines - he doesn't have a problem - except for on the pitch, it seems."

Solari added: "In the things that have happened this season he hasn't known that the players are from Argentina. I don't think there is a conspiracy against him by Argentine players - but I will try to find out if there is one!"