Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal on target as Real Madrid beat Alaves


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

MATCH INFO

Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)

Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')

Real Madrid moved three points clear at the top of La Liga with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Alaves on Saturday.

Sergio Ramos had given Zinedine Zidane's side a lead minutes after the restart at a rain-soaked Mendizorrotza Stadium by heading home a Toni Kroos free kick.

The Real Madrid captain then gave away a penalty from which Lucas Perez levelled in the 65th for the Spanish striker's eighth goal in nine games.

Real took the lead four minutes later as Isco pounced to head a Luka Modric cross against the post and the ball trickled across to Carvajal, who bundled it in from close range.

Second-placed Barcelona will look to move back level on 31 points with with Real Madrid on Sunday when they travel to fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.

"We know that in stadiums like this teams always give everything against Real Madrid, and we coped very well with the kicks, the rain and the cold which was crucial because these are the games which win you league titles," said Real Madrid left-back Marcelo.

A 1-0 defeat at Mendizorrotza 13 months ago came three weeks before Julen Lopetegui was sacked as coach but this time Madrid showed the kind of steel that was so painfully lacking last season.

Alaves, who had lost only one of their previous seven home games this season and conceded only two goals on their own turf before facing Real, are 13th on 18 points.

Real were without Eden Hazard after he injured his ankle in Tuesday's thrilling 2-2 draw with Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League, leaving Gareth Bale to make his first start for the club since October 5.

Zidane made further changes by leaving World Cup-winning defender Raphael Varane at home and fielding Brazilian Eder Militao in his place.

Militao very nearly gave away a penalty in the opening minutes when he dangled out a leg on Aleix Vidal in the area.

The referee took a dim view of Vidal's theatrics though and booked the Spaniard for diving instead.

Bale, who has been the subject of whistles and jeers from Madrid fans in recent weeks after holding up a playful flag during international duty for Wales, came close to giving the visitors the lead when he saw a header deflected on to the near post, while Isco sent a shot narrowly over the bar as the first half drew to a close.

It was far from a free-flowing display from Zidane's side but the type of win that will give them confidence that they can overhaul an inconsistent Barca side in what is set to be a close-run title race.

ATP RANKINGS (NOVEMBER 4)

1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts ( 1)
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 ( 1)
9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 ( 1)
10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 ( 3)
11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 ( 3)
12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290
13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)
14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 ( 1)
15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 ( 13)
16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000
17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)
18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775
19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)
20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 ( 7)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

Info

What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship

When: December 27-29, 2018

Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams

Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands

50-man Royal Rumble

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho

John Cena v Triple H

Matches to be announced

WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended

MATCH DETAILS

Chelsea 4 

Jorginho (4 pen, 71 pen), Azpilicueta (63), James (74)

Ajax 4

Abraham (2 og), Promes (20). Kepa (35 og), van de Beek (55) 

Bio:

Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour

Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people 

Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite food: Fish and vegetables

Favourite place to visit: London

TEAMS

EUROPE:
Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson

USA:
Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth,​​​​​​​ Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau ( 1 TBC)

Sukuk

An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.

MATCH INFO

Alaves 1 (Perez 65' pen)

Real Madrid 2 (Ramos 52', Carvajal 69')