Casillas praises Beckham

"He is a great player and a great professional and has always given everything for Real Madrid," the goalkeeper told a news conference on Friday. "He's also a magnificent person."

Casillas, one of the few home-grown players in the Real first team, admitted that Beckham's departure, which has followed that of fellow Galacticos Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, was likely to signal the end of an era at the club.

"With Figo, Zidane and Beckham leaving everyone is talking about the end of the Galacticos, but Real Madrid is more important than any player.

"David revolutionised the club in terms of interest and the amount of news that it generated was spectacular. There was never as much media interest before he came. But for me what is important is what he did as a team mate and in that respect he was a great professional."

Casillas played down suggestions of a clear-out that could see Ronaldo and Antonio Cassano leave the club in the January transfer window.

"It is not for me to say if there should be some sort of cleansing of the team," he said. "As far as I'm concerned all the players are doing everything they can."

But the Spain international did admit that rumours of dressing room divisions and talk of some players being unfit for training after late-night excesses had not done the team any favours.

"It is obvious that everything that is coming out now is not good for a team that is trying to win something for the first time in three years.

"I can assure you that no one has come to training smelling of alcohol. All the players come here to train and work as hard as possible."

With Real five points behind leaders Sevilla in the league and still in with a chance to win the Champions League and King's Cup, Casillas said he was hopeful Beckham would be able to leave the club with a trophy under his arm.

"The season isn't finished yet and there is still a long way to go," he said.