The Los Angeles Galaxy are holding out hope that David Beckham's ankle will be healed enough for him to take some part in Saturday's game against Chelsea FC.

Long-touted as Beckham's debut with the club, ESPN is in the midst of an advertising blitz for the friendly, part of the World Series of Football. The network has plans for nearly 20 cameras to cover the on-field action, including the "Beck-Cam", which will stay trained on the England superstar for the entirety of the match. Unfortunately, it may be focused at the Galaxy bench for most of the evening, as Beckham is listed as day-to-day and his participation is in doubt.

Following his arrival in the United States, Beckham's injured left ankle experienced some unexpected swelling, limiting him to light exercises while the rest of the team trained nearby. Though the ankle has responded well to extensive treatment in the past week, his role in Saturday's game will likely be limited.

"There is always a possibility he won't play because of his injury, but we're never going to force him to play," Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop told Reuters. "If he's ready to play, he'll play. We're just waiting to see how he responds."

The Galaxy must now balance the midfielder's fitness with the importance of Saturday's game - not only to the club, but to fans, sponsors and the league alike. Though most people will be tuning in to see Beckham, the team has the bigger picture in mind.

"We are not going to risk it if we believe the amount of time that he does or does not play is going to affect him further on down the line," said Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas. It's a big game, it's an important game, but guess what? There is going to be another one next week and another one the following week."

Beckham himself downplayed any role he might have in the Chelsea friendly during an interview at halftime of the MLS All-Star Game on Thursday evening. "I've been having a lot of treatment, but at the moment it doesn't look good, I'm afraid," he told ESPN's Rob Stone. "I'm here for five years - I'm not here just for the game on Saturday. Maybe I will play some part towards the end of the game if it's alright, but we'll see."