No fireworks on the field, but the Real Madrid stars came out at night for Legends match

Pace may have been slower, as the fireworks were in the sky before the match, but players still provided thrills , writes Ali Khaled.

Real Madrid Legends’ defender Roberto Carlos of Brazil, left, in action against a team of Baniyas Legends sat Baniyas Stadium. Ali Haider / EPA

ABU DHABI // Baniyas Legends against Real Madrid Legends as part of the 44th UAE National Day celebrations was always going to have a festive feel to it.

In front of Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister, an exhibition showcasing the UAE’s heritage was uplifting and sombre at once, as the UAE’s fallen soldiers – with families as guests of honour – were remembered.

The teams, it was revealed before kick off, would be contesting the Martyr Cup.

There was a pre-kick-off fireworks display, but with so many former players on both sides, the match was predictably played at a less than explosive pace.

Not that the crowd, bigger than your average league attendance, seemed to mind, enjoying an exercise of spot the star.

Muhsin Musabah, beloved Emirati goalkeeper and part of the UAE Golden generation that reached the 1990 World Cup, saw 13 minutes of action and left to a rousing reception.

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Former Baniyas winger Christian Wilhelmsson was given a particularly warm welcome by the home fans, while David Trezeguet, who had short, unsuccessful stint at the club, was barely involved in the action.

For the visitors Fernando Hierro strolled through the midfield.

As did Claude Makelele, the man who redefined the defensive midfield role, though there was little need for him to extend himself on this occasion.

French World Cup winner Christian Karembeu hugged the right wing, and on the left Jose Amavisca was by some distance the game’s outstanding player.

There was Spanish defender Francisco Pavon, forever associated with Florentino Perez’s infamous early-century policy of “Zidanes and Pavones”. Alongside him, the energetic, familiar figure of Michel Salgado, now director of football at Dubai Sports City.

Above all, there was the ever-popular Brazilian World Cup winner Roberto Carlos, implored to “shoot” at every opportunity by the crowd.

They had only to wait 20 minutes to see him try one of his trade mark left foot shots, curling just over the bar.

Madrid’s players, clearly fitter than their opponents, took the lead on nine minutes when Javi Guerrero tapped from close range.

The lead was doubled on the half hour by Fernando Moran with a close range header and a Baniyas were denied an equaliser by the linesman’s flag five minutes before half time.

The home fans finally had something to cheer five minutes after the break Wilhelmsson ran onto a through ball and expertly chipped past the goalkeeper.

A minute late a volleyed over the bar as the home team finally stirred, but it was Spanish giants who claimed the next goal through David Aganzo. With Baniyas giving as many of their former players a taste of the action, it was no surprise that Real Madrid almost literally walked away with the match.

On the hour Hierro reminded everyone of the finishing skills that at one point made him Spain’s record goalscorer when he wandered through the Baniyas defence to pass ball into the net, and minutes later Aganzo got his second from one yard out after a fine run and cross by Roberto Carlos.

It was then the turn of Alex Perez to tap from almost on the goal line to give Real Madrid a 6-1.

Straight after, Roberto Carlos was withdrawn.

There would be no memorable free-kicks from him today, though tackles, never mind fouls, had been kept to a minimum.

Perez’s second of the match and an own goal gave the former Galacticos an 8-1 win, and the 2015 Martyr Cup.

Amid the celebrations, remembrance, too.​

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