Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema refused to be drawn on his future, telling reporters “reality is not the internet” in response to rumours of a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia.
Benzema, 35, has enjoyed 14 trophy laden years in Spain but reports this week suggest he will follow former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to the kingdom next season.
“Why am I going to talk about the future if I am in Madrid?” asked the Frenchman during an awards ceremony held by Marca.
“The thing that is talking is the internet and reality is not the internet.”
The former Lyon striker have been linked with a move to recently anointed Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad, who secured the title ahead of Ronaldo's Al Nassr with a match to spare.
Saudi football is set for a major summer, with a number of prominent stars anticipated to land in the Pro League. There is growing confidence Lionel Messi, Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain, will make the move to record 18-time champions Hilal once his contract expires at Paris Saint-Germain.
Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Angel Di Maria, N’Golo Kante and Sadio Mane are among other names linked with Saudi Arabia.
Benzema, the reigning Ballon d'Or and one of Real Madrid's most decorated players having won five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles. He is the club's second highest scorer with 353 goals.
The former France international still has a year left on his contract at the Bernabeu but reports in Spain and the Gulf said Ittihad are prepared to offer him a bumper €200 million ($215m) two-year contract.
“For now I'm here,” said Benzema, who has won 25 titles in his time at Real Madrid. “Tomorrow, I go training, I enjoy every day and on Sunday I have a game.
“I'm very proud of my work and I enjoy every training session, every game and the most important thing is to enjoy.
“When I go to Valdebebas, it's not work for me because the day it's work, I won't want to do it any more.
“I enjoy football like children do and in my head, I'm still a child.”
Real Madrid end their season on Sunday at home to Athletic Bilbao knowing victory will secure them second place in La Liga ahead of city rivals Atletico.
Carlo Ancelotti's team have endured a disappointing season by their standards, surrendering La Liga to Barcelona and the Champions League following their elimination to Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Real will not end the season trophyless though after beating Osasuna in last month's Copa del Rey final.
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
Ferrari
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MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
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Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Results
International 4, United States 1
Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.
Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.
Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.
Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.
Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.
