ROME // Nearly 10 years after ending his playing career by head butting Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final, Zinedine Zidane will return to the international spotlight in Italy on Wednesday when he manages Real Madrid against Roma.
Having replaced Rafa Benitez as Madrid’s coach last month, the game at the Stadio Olimpico will mark Zidane’s managing debut in the Champions League.
While Materazzi is not likely to attend the round of 16 first-leg match, Zidane will come across some familiar faces from the 2006 final in Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi.
Zidane assumed international fame during five seasons as a player with Juventus, winning two Serie A titles, but his legacy in Italy will forever be linked to the incident with Materazzi. Zidane was sent off for head butting the Italy defender in the chest during extra time and the Azzurri went on to beat France on penalties for the title.
See more: Champions League last 16 and beyond – The National's comprehensive coverage
“Joy or torment? Zidane in Italy. The story continues,” read a headline in Tuesday’s Gazzetta dello Sport next to a photo of the head butt.
But Zidane is revered in Spain, having scored the winning goal for Madrid in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen. Since he replaced Benitez, Madrid is unbeaten in six matches and looking to extend its unbeaten run in this season’s Champions League.
Here are a few things to know about Wednesday’s match:
Avoiding embarrassment
Having been routed by European powers in recent seasons, Roma will be hoping to avoid another embarrassment against 10-time European champion Madrid. Roma was beaten 6-1 at Barcelona in November and fell 7-1 to Bayern Munich at home last season.
The Giallorossi also lost 7-1 at home to Manchester United in the 2007 quarterfinals — a match in which current Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice.
However, Roma has shown signs of turning around a disappointing season since Luciano Spalletti replaced Rudi Garcia as coach last month, winning four straight in Serie A.
Newly signed forward Stephan El Shaarawy has scored two goals in four matches and Edin Dzeko ended an 81-day drought with a score in a 3-1 win at Carpi on Friday.
Indescribable Ronaldo
Seemingly at a loss for words to describe Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring quality this season, Zidane resorted to using expletives.
“You are here to form opinions as to whether he’s playing well or badly or if he’s finished,” Zidane told journalists after Ronaldo scored twice to help Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 4-2 on Saturday.
“What can I say? He has shown today that he is — I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say this,” said Zidane before using a Spanish slang term that is commonly understood to mean ‘amazing.’
With 21 goals in the Spanish league, Ronaldo’s tally is high. But only seven have been scored away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and the last time he did so was Nov. 29, leading some to question the 31-year-old’s deadliness away from home.
However, Ronaldo arrives at Roma having scored 11 of Madrid’s 19 goals in the group stage. He netted a brace each in Ukraine and at Malmo.
Calming influence
Having calmed Madrid’s notoriously fractious squad and super-critical fans, Zidane must now test himself in Europe, the club’s favorite competition.
He has succeeded in turning disquiet surrounding striker Karim Benzema and midfielders Luka Modric and James Rodriguez to the team’s advantage.
Benzema said he learns something from Zidane “every day,” and has upped his scoring rate to a goal a match, with 19 goals from 19 La Liga appearances and four in four Champions League matches.
James, who rarely appeared under Benitez, has now scored five goals, provided eight assists and was seen smiling again.
Modric singled out Carlo Ancelotti as his favorite coach at Madrid, but the Croatian’s fabulous long-range strike six minutes from time against Granada clinched a 2-1 win for Zidane’s team on Feb. 7.
Although Zidane will be without Gareth Bale against Roma due to the recurrence of a muscle injury, left back Marcelo looks to have recovered from a serious shoulder dislocation.
Madrid will aim to avoid conceding goals against Roma, Benzema said. “We must pay attention to the speed of their players,” he said. “They can harm us.”
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
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Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
if you go
The flights
Fly to Rome with Etihad (www.etihad.ae) or Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dh2,480 return including taxes. The flight takes six hours. Fly from Rome to Trapani with Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dh420 return including taxes. The flight takes one hour 10 minutes.
The hotels
The author recommends the following hotels for this itinerary. In Trapani, Ai Lumi (www.ailumi.it); in Marsala, Viacolvento (www.viacolventomarsala.it); and in Marsala Del Vallo, the Meliaresort Dimore Storiche (www.meliaresort.it).
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
