David Beckham and AC Milan play Germany’s Werder Bremen today in a UEFA Cup encounter and critics are increasingly questioning the Italian club’s policy of signing veteran players .

One of the best soccer writers in the country, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl, observed this week that the Galaxy win more without Beckham in the side than with him and crunched the numbers to prove it:

“L.A.’s winning percentage since his arrival has been better in the 22 games Beckham has missed (.477) than in the 32 games he has played (.406).”

Read the whole thing here.

Adoring crowds greeted Beckham in a Milan store earlier in the week.

Finally, here’s Beckham on his on-going transfer saga:

“I have not heard from Galaxy, but from what has been said, I gather there could be good news.”

Glad that’s cleared up then.

Updated 6 p.m. – Becks is getting worried he won’t get his way and stay in Italy (oh dearie, dearie me):

MILAN (AP) – Just over week before his scheduled return to the Los Angeles Galaxy, David Beckham is becoming frustrated by the delay in his possible transfer to AC Milan.

Beckham’s loan to Milan from Major League Soccer is scheduled to end March 8. Milan
offered $3 million, but Los Angeles said it wanted at least $10 million.

Milan vice president Adriano Galliani responded by saying that the club was not
prepared to go any higher for the 33-year-old midfielder, who can terminate his MLS
contract in November.

“There’s a lot going on and a lot being said, and every day someone is asking me
questions about what’s happening,” Beckham said Thursday night after Milan was
eliminated from the UEFA Cup by Germany’s Werder Bremen. “It needn’t be said every
day, but so far I am trying to concentrate on the football. At the moment, we’ll have to
see what happens. At the moment it is being discussed and negotiated.”

Beckham played the full 90 minutes for Milan, which wasted a 2-0 lead. The 2-2 tie left
the teams 3-3 in aggregate, and the German club advanced because of more away
goals.

“It doesn’t change me wanting to play at this club and hopefully it doesn’t change other
people’s views of me wanting to stay at this club,” he said.

A stream of “interesting,” but ultimately ineffective crosses from David Beckham and a Clarence Seedorf goal gave AC Milan a narrow 1-0 win over Cagliari today.

Becks is still holding out hope of a transfer.

But tragic news from his other half; Posh is dehydrated from eight trips to Milan in the last month.

Can you imagine the amount of moisturizer she’s using? Will this Italian opera never end?

Meanwhile, Chivas played two scrimmages Saturday against Sweden’s Hanmmarby and UCLA, emerging undefeated. Video and details here.

The Galaxy play for a trophy tonight in Carson.

The opponent is Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC. Kickoff is 8 p.m. Lots of tickets available (I’m hearing rumors the Galaxy are allowing all season ticket holders in for free in a bid to boost the microscopic attendance of 5,000 or so of Wednesday – and presumably they’ll recoup cash with their gouging $15 parking fee). The game is also live on Fox Soccer Channel – and on this blog.

An unimpressive Galaxy beat a bad opponent Wednesday to reach the final, but at least they won.

Still, the game illustrated how badly the Galaxy miss playmaker Landon Donovan.

Presumably, that won’t be for long; Donovan came on at half time today for Bayern Munich, but was unable to prevent them slumping to a shock defeat at home to lowly Cologne. Donovan’s most significant contribution: clearing a ball off Bayern’s goal line.

Meanwhile, that other Galaxy player in Europe may also be returning sooner rather than later – at least until the end of the MLS season.

Updated: Galaxy officials tell me all season ticket holders are receiving tonight’s doubleheader as part of their season ticket package. It’s bonus game No. 1.

Yawn.

And the Beckham aftermath is still reverberating in New Zealand.

Naturally reporters were much more interested in talking about David Beckham today than the much more important-sounding than it really is Pan-Pacific Championship, the four-team preseason tournament that begins Wednesday at Home Depot Center.

So here’s the latest from Coach Bruce Arena, although let’s keep in mind he conceded today he’s never spoken to Milan officials or Beckham representatives about any possible deal, since all that is being handled by AEG President Tim Leiweke (so Arena said he is unaware, for instance, whether AC Milan officials are on en route to L.A. to continue negotiations over Beckham’s contract, as reports out of Europe suggested today).

On whether a deal was still possible, despite the unilateral Beckham trade deadline “imposed” by MLS Commissioner Don Garber that came and went last Friday:

“Legally, technically, March 8 would be the final date of altering the loan agreement,” he said. “I think that would be accurate.”

On whether the Becks and Landon Donovan trade issues are a distraction:

“Whenever you have these type of situations and two important players away from your team, it’s a less than perfect way of preparing, but it hasn’t been a distraction of anything we’ve been doing,”he said. “We prepare (the team) like you do everyday when you have players not here whether they’re away on loan or injuries or because of suspension. It’s the business of the game. You’re constantly making adjustments for players you do or don’t have.”

But veteran Galaxy midfielder Eddie Lewis conceded today that if the Galaxy forces Donovan or Beckham to return, that does not bode well for the team:

“If they’re not happy to come back I think it would be silly to not think there would (not) be some sort of hangover effect. They’re both playing with extremely big clubs in powerful leagues.”

Finally, here’s some non-Beckham team news. Last week the Galaxy cut five players from camp – Vardan Adzemian, Venezuelan central defender Leo Bautista, 2008 first round draft pick Mike Gavin and midfielder Mike Muoz (formerly of Chivas USA) – to leave the Galaxy’s roster at 33 players.

Arena was asked why Bautista, who came in as a highly-touted possible starter, was cut:

“He’s a somewhat inexperienced player who might not be physically strong enough to deal with the speed of the game in MLS,” he said. “He wasn’t the answer for us at this point in time.”

Here’s a quote from David Beckham after today’s Milan derby.
“After saying that I want to stay here it would be difficult to return to play in the United States.”

Does it really matter what the Galaxy say if David Beckham and AC Milan ignore them?

For what it’s worth, a source in Milan just emailed to say club officials do not believe a deal for David Beckham will be completed today.

Galaxy to AC Milan: Can I have some more please?

Beckham is on the verge of history.

After penning this missive to 100 Percent Soccer Hermosa Beach Galaxy ticket holder Ed Kaspar makes his television debut.

Lastly, always good to know publications like The (London) Times don’t like to perpetuate stereotypes.

Saturday:

7 a.m. Fox Soccer Channel Blackburn Rovers-Brad Friedel’s Aston Villa

9:30 a.m. FSC Portsmouth-Liverpool

11:30 a.m. FSC AC Milan (and David Beckham)-Reggina

5 p.m. KVEA Chivas-Necaxa

Sunday

8 a.m. FSC West Ham United-Manchester United

8 a.m. GOLTV Landon Donovan’s Bayern Munich-Borussia Dortmund

2 p.m. KMEX Club America-Pachuca