CHICAGO — When David Beckham and Cuauhtemoc Blanco meet on the field forthe first time in the MLS season-finale Sunday, a playoff berth may well be onthe line.

The two marquee players of the league’s new designated player rule havecertainly had opposite results in their first seasons in the MLS. Even so, bothof their teams were still hunting a playoff berth on the final weekend.

Beckham’s team, the Los Angeles Galaxy, will play the Chicago Fire andBlanco on Sunday.

Los Angeles (9-13-7) is two points behind the eighth-place team and needssome help and a win Sunday to make the playoffs. Chicago (9-10-10) was tied forthe eighth spot with Kansas City, which played at FC Dallas Saturday night.

Beckham has been strapped by injuries and his on-field contributions havebeen limited after signing a five-year, $32.5 million deal with the Galaxy andgetting a Hollywood-worthy welcome. Still, his presence alone has stirredinterest.

Blanco, the Mexican standout who has a three-year contract that guaranteeshim $2.7 million this year, has been the catalyst for the Fire since joining theteam in July. He has four goals and six assists in 13 games.

Comparsions?

“I think he’s a great player. He’s played for great teams and for hisnational team,” Blanco said through a translator. “He’s an important playerwho can make a difference for whatever team he is playing for. … I’ve saidbefore you can’t compare people. Everyone has his own way of being.”

Beckham entered Thursday night’s 1-1 tie with the New York Red Bulls as asub and played 22 minutes. He’d missed the previous 10 games after spraining hisright knee in the SuperLiga tournament final on Aug. 29. He already was playingwith an injured left ankle that occurred before he joined the Galaxy inmid-July.

“I’ve been injured for the majority of time I’ve been in the U.S. and it’sbeen very frustrating for myself and for the club,” Beckham said Saturday.

“It’s frustrating for me as it is for other people who want to see me play,as well. … It’s something you can’t help sometimes. Injuries that justhappen.”

Fans have flocked to watch him when he’s been able to play — he’s appearedin only four league games, and has two assists. And the response has beenencouraging for Beckham, who played two years ago in Chicago as a member of RealMadrid. Sunday’s game at Toyota Park is already a sellout.

Beckham is again expected to come off the bench, but many will be there towatch him — for as many minutes as he is given.

“We’ve created the buzz we wanted to around the league. We’ve had a fullhouse in most of the stadiums we’ve played in,” Beckham said. “From that part,it’s been a success, but on my side it’s been frustrating because I’ve not beenable to go every place we’ve played in.”

Beckham said he’s tried to keep abreast of how the new stars in the league — like Blanco — have been doing but for the most part he’s concentrated his energyon getting healthy and fit.

“I never had so many injuries in a short space of time. It’s been tough,where I used to play every day in Europe to missing half of the season,” hesaid.

He returned the compliment to Blanco about being a great player– the twoheld separate news conferences sandwiched by the photo op. But he said the realrivalry in the MLS should be between teams and not players.

“We’ll be watching him, but we’ll be watching the rest of their players,”Beckham said. “This league deserves good players and spectacular players. Wehave a few of those.

“Cuauhtemoc is a very good player, but it’s not about individuals, it’sabout teams. Team rivalries are what you really want to see.”