LOS ANGELES (AFP) - David Beckham will not play Saturday for the Los Angeles Galaxy in a Superliga match here against Chivas of Mexico because of his injured left ankle, the Major League Soccer club announced Friday.

The 32-year-old English superstar, who left Real Madrid for a 250 million-dollar Hollywood deal, only made his Galaxy debut last Saturday in the 78th minute as a substitute because of the nagging injury.

Beckham also sat out last Tuesday's Superliga opener against Mexico's Pachuca and is questionable for the match at MLA rival Dallas next week, Galaxy coach Frank Yallop calling his odds for that match probable over possible.

Beckham's first scheduled MLS match is a week from this Sunday at Toronto.

"We obviously expected David to come here and play these games - starting with the Chelsea game - but these things happen," Yallop said.

"He could have got injured in training and still been in the same situation so we've got to deal with it, we've got to soldier on and make sure that we put in some good performances in these games, because they are important."

So far Beckham has not had the chance for a proper training session with his new teammates. But he is improving.

"He's doing better. The soreness is going but it comes in spells of a couple of days," Yallop said.

"He gets a lot of work done on it but then it gets sore. The work is helping it, though, and the soreness is getting lighter and lighter.

"It's frictional work, really getting the scar tissue out. That has been the problem, it's been getting congealed in there and getting really tight, which constricted any type of movement and caused pain. They've really worked hard to move that and it's feeling a lot better."

There is pressure on Beckham to play.

MLS clubs have sold season tickets based upon the allure of guaranteed seats for Beckham's one appearance and multiple no-shows could doom his bid to spark US interest before it begins.

And whenever Beckham takes the field, it might be a while before he sparkles as he had in his last matches with Real Madrid.

"He's doing a lot of other work, on a stairclimber, on a bike and fitness-wise it won't be an issue," Yallop said.

"Obviously game sharpness is different to what he's doing in a gym but I think David's proved he's a pretty fit kid anyway.

"It's just a matter of time really and I think once he gets out here and gets his boots on he'll be close to getting ready to go."