While Inter and Barcelona faced each other in the Champions League semifinals, David Beckham shared his experience regarding the 2003 transfer to Real Madrid, revealing that he was originally expected to join Barcelona. Beckham, during his appearance on the Beckham and Friends watchalong on Paramount+, disclosed that when he received the notification of his transfer from Manchester United, it indicated a move to Barcelona, which did not align with his aspiration to play for Madrid. Therefore, he insisted that if he was to leave his current club, it had to be for Real Madrid. United quickly negotiated his departure, resulting in his successful transition to Madrid.

At Real Madrid, Beckham netted 20 goals in 158 matches and clinched both La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup during his four-year tenure. He was pivotal to England’s national team during this period, featuring in the 2004 European Championship and the 2006 World Cup. Ultimately, his football legacy might have appeared quite different had he accepted the initial transfer to Barcelona.