Carlo Ancelotti defended the performances of Karim Benzema, left, and Gareth Bale, right on Wednesday. Paul Hanna / Reuters
Carlo Ancelotti defended the performances of Karim Benzema, left, and Gareth Bale, right on Wednesday. Paul Hanna / Reuters
Carlo Ancelotti defended the performances of Karim Benzema, left, and Gareth Bale, right on Wednesday. Paul Hanna / Reuters
Carlo Ancelotti defended the performances of Karim Benzema, left, and Gareth Bale, right on Wednesday. Paul Hanna / Reuters

Bale, Benzema not to blame for lacklustre Madrid performance, says Ancelotti


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MADRID // Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted he was happy with the performances of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema in his side’s 2-1 win over Juventus, despite both looking far from their best.

Bale replaced Benzema with 25 minutes to go on Wednesday after the Frenchman had missed an incredible chance to make it 3-1 to the hosts.

However, Ancelotti lauded Benzema’s defensive contribution and blamed Bale’s lack of an impact on the lack of intensity his team in general showed in the second half.

“I want to say something about Benzema. I asked him to help the team a lot defensively in tracking (Andrea) Pirlo,” he said.

“With three central midfielders, Pirlo is hard for our midfielders to get up to press.

“Bezema didn’t score, but he worked very well for the team and I am satisfied with his performance.

“Bale came on when the game lacked intensity and that didn’t help him to play better.

“His physical condition is better and he is now ready to start a game.”

Despite moving to the brink of qualification with their third win in three Champions League games, Ancelotti admitted his frustration with Real’s display after the break as they played the majority of the half against 10 men.

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo either side of Fernando Llorente’s equaliser had put the hosts in command at the break.

And their stranglehold on the game was strengthened when Giorgio Chiellini was harshly shown a straight red card for a foul on Ronaldo just three minutes after the restart.

However, Madrid failed to press home their man advantage and were left hanging on towards the end as Juve pushed in search of a point.

“I liked the attitude of the team and how we played in spells.

“I didn’t like how we ended the game though. We needed to have more intensity.

“We didn’t need to go and score more goals, but we should have had more control.”

Juve boss Antonio Conte, meanwhile, was less than pleased with the performance of German referee Manuel Graefe.

“It is obvious the game was conditioned by some of the referee’s decisions,” he said.

“We were playing against a great side, but we also had little help this evening.”

The defeat leaves the Italian champions in some difficulty as regards qualifying for the last 16 with just two points from their opening three games.

Galatasaray now lead Juventus by two points and the Turkish champions will host Conte’s men in the final game in the group.

However, Conte believes his side showed enough quality over the 90 minutes at the Bernabeu to suggest they will still make it through.

“Now we have a difficult Champions League in front of us.

“Today with 10 players we showed great physical and tactical energy.

“It will be tough, but we still depend on ourselves.”

While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Profile

Company name: Jaib

Started: January 2018

Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour

Based: Jordan

Sector: FinTech

Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018

Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups

Company profile

Name: GiftBag.ae

Based: Dubai

Founded: 2011

Number of employees: 4

Sector: E-commerce

Funding: Self-funded to date

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Marathon results

Men:

 1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13 

2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50 

3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25 

4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46 

5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48  

Women:

1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30 

2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01 

3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30 

4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43 

5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01  

THE BIO

Age: 30

Favourite book: The Power of Habit

Favourite quote: "The world is full of good people, if you cannot find one, be one"

Favourite exercise: The snatch

Favourite colour: Blue

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

Huddersfield Town permanent signings:

  • Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
  • Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
  • Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
  • Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
  • Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
  • Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
  • Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
  • Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed

Power: 620bhp

Torque: 760Nm

Price: Dh898,000

On sale: now

Best Foreign Language Film nominees

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Cold War (Poland)

Never Look Away (Germany)

Roma (Mexico)

Shoplifters (Japan)