David Beckham resumed training with the rest of the Real Madrid first-team squad on Wednesday after missing the club's last three games through injury.

The 31-year-old former England captain has been sidelined with cartilage inflammation in his left knee, but now looks likely to be available for Sunday's home league match with Athletic Bilbao.

Beckham, who has yet to decide whether to extend his contract with Real beyond this season, has been in the starting line-up for just three of the club's 12 league matches this season.

Fabio Cannavaro, the recently-crowned European Footballer of the Year, and fellow centre-back Ivan Helguera did not train with the rest of the team because of niggling muscle problems.

Real, who are bidding to end a four-year trophy drought, are in third place, three points behind defending champions Barcelona.