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.”
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
Results
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden+(PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Reem Baynounah, Fernando Jara+(jockey), Mohamed Daggash+(trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden+(PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Afham, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige+(PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige+(PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1+(PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed+(TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Haqeeqy, Dane O’Neill, John Hyde.
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
The Beekeeper
Director: David Ayer
Starring: Jason Statham, Josh Hutcherson, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Minnie Driver, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
