Xabi Alonso has been confirmed as the next manager of Real Madrid with the Spaniard's reign set to kick-off at this summer's Fifa Club World Cup.
Alonso, 43, left his role as Bayer Leverkusen coach following their final Bundesliga game of the season – a 2-2 draw at Mainz – after two-and-half seasons in Germany.
He has signed a three-year deal with Madrid where he made more than 230 appearances during a hugely successful spell as a player between 2009 and 2014.
Alonso takes over from veteran Carlo Ancelotti whose trophy-laden second spell as coach has ended in a disappointing finale with Real relinquishing the European and Spanish titles. Ancelotti is leaving Real to become the first foreign manager of Brazil.
Real's first game at the new Club World Cup is against Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in Miami on June 18 with Mexican outfit Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg of Austria completing the Group H line-up.
Alonso's contract starts on June 1 with Real describing him in a club statement as a club “legend and one of the greatest players in world football history”.
He will be officially unveiled as manager in Madrid Monday at 1.30pm UAE time.
Basque-born Alonso started his playing career at Real Sociedad before going on to star in midfield for three of Europe's biggest clubs in Liverpool, Real and finally Bayern Munich.
He would make 701 career appearances, scoring 44 goals, winning two Uefa Champions League crowns, the Uefa Super Cup as well as one La Liga and three Bundesliga titles.
Alonso also starred for Spain winning 114 caps during a sparkling period that saw the national team win one Fifa World Cup and two Uefa European Championships.
His coaching career began back at Real Sociedad where he took charge of the B team in 2019 before being replacing the sacked Gerardo Seoane as Bayer Leverkusen manager in October 2022.
The German side were second bottom of the table having taken just five points from eight games – their worst start to a campaign since 1979.
But Alonso's reign started with a 4-0 thrashing of Schalke and he would guide Leverkusen to an impressive sixth-place finish, earning a place in the following season's Uefa Europa League.
What followed over the next 12 months would earn Alonso a place in German football folklore as Leverkusen went on to win their first ever Bundesliga crown, finishing the season unbeaten in 34 games.
As well as ending Bayern Munich's 11-season stranglehold on the Meisterschale, Leverkusen would also go on to complete the domestic double by beating second-tier Kaiserslautern in the German Cup final.
Serie A side Atlanta would deny Leverkusen a stunning treble when they ran out 3-0 winners in the Europa League final which ended a 51-game unbeaten run for Alonso's men.
“The second season was a historic season, it was a dream season with great nights, great games and we made history,” Alonso said after announcing his Leverkusen exit last week.
Following up such a successful campaign was always going to be problematic, despite Alonso turning down potential opportunities to take over at former clubs Bayern and Liverpool to stay on as Die Werkself coach.
Leverkusen soon fell to their first Bundesliga defeat in 35 matches – and 462 days – when they lost 3-2 at RB Leipzig at the end of August.
Their German Cup reign was ended in the semi-finals by third-tier Arminia Bielefeld while Leverkusen were humbled 5-0 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Bavarians would also win back the Bundesliga title with Vincent Kompany beating Alonso to the Meisterschale in the Belgian's first season as coach with the Bavarians currently 11 points clear at the top with one game to play.
Alonso then officially announced that his time at Leverkusen would be ending after the Mainz match.
His final home game in charge ended in a disappointing 4-2 defeat by Borussia Dortmund when Alonso was given a hero's reception by supporters at an emotional BayArena.
“It’s a great club to come to and to enjoy; the main thing is the football [they appreciate] and that is why I have been very happy,” Alonso told bundesliga.com. “I can only say that I’m really thankful to everyone.
“This club will stay forever in my heart,” Alonso added. “The result doesn't matter, it wasn't the most important thing.”
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
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Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
Tomorrow 2021
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Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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World Mental Health Day
The five pillars of Islam
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
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INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
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Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
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Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
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Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')
Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')
Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
EMILY%20IN%20PARIS%3A%20SEASON%203
Towering concerns
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Company%20Profile
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Read more
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
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Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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Torque: 230Nm
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How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
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RESULTS
Explained
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Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
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Torque: 370Nm
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
