Xabi Alonso says he is ready to lead Real Madrid into an exciting new era after being officially unveiled as their new manager on Monday.
The 43-year-old Spaniard returns to the Spanish capital having spent six seasons at Los Blancos as a midfielder from 2009 to 2015 – a spell that saw him make 236 appearances and win five major trophies.
He replaces veteran Carlo Ancelotti in charge with the Italian having overseen a frustrating campaign that saw Real lose both their Spanish and European titles.
“Without a doubt, this is a very special day for me. A day that I will have marked in my calendar for life. I am very happy to be here, in what I feel is my home,” said Alonso, who also started his managerial career at Real's youth academy, coaching their Under-14s in 2018.
“The bond with Madrid has never ceased to exist and, since I entered Valdebebas [training centre] an hour and a half ago, that feeling has been reborn. I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a new era.
“We have a great team, we have fantastic players and a very good potential. That gives me reason to come here with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
“We have the conviction that we can achieve important things, worthy of Real Madrid and these European Cups.”
Alonso had spent the previous two-and-a-half seasons at Bayer Leverkusen where he led the German side to their first ever Bundesliga title in a campaign they finished unbeaten.
He announced his exit from Leverkusen earlier this month with Bayern Munich wrestling back the Meisterschale after finishing 13 points clear of Alonso's side at the top of the table.
Real have seen bitter rivals Barcelona win back the La Liga crown, ending the season four points behind the Catalonians.
In the Uefa Champions League, Real were knocked out at the quarter-final stage after being brushed aside 4-1 on aggregate by Arsenal.
Alonso also paid tribute to his predecessor and former coach Ancelotti, who concluded a hugely successful second spell at the club that brought in 11 trophies.
“Before I start talking about the new era, I don't want to forget to talk about the era that has just ended,” added Alonso, who has signed a three-year contract at the club.
“Carlo was my coach, a great person and a huge influence. Without his mastery, I probably wouldn't be here. I take over and carry on his legacy with great honour and pride.
“I hope to live up to expectations and be able to take the club to all the places we all believe we can.”
At the unveiling, president Florentino Perez's introductory speech highlighted Alonso's Madrid ties, welcoming back “one of our own” to the club.
“This is a very special day for those who love Real Madrid, it will be the start of a new era filled with excitement and intense emotions,” said Perez.
“A coach arrives who is one of the best in the world, and who knows what this badge and this shirt means.
“Today we welcome one of our own – Xabi Alonso. Welcome back to your home, Real Madrid."
Alonso's first task as manager will be at this summer's expanded Fifa Club World Cup in the United States, with their first game taking place on June 18 against Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal.
They will also face Pachuca of Mexico and Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in the tournament that kicks off on June 14 and ends with the final on July 13.
And Real's new coach is already making plans for how to get the best out of a squad that includes world-class attacking talent such as Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe, with the latter finishing his first season in Spain as La Liga's top scorer with 31 goals in 34 games.
“It's lucky to have players of this level, not just Kylian or Vinicius, but so many,” added Alonso.
“They make the difference and we have to get everything we can out of them – I have ideas.
“I've seen the games and I have analysed them, now I am thinking about how to make a balanced team.
“I want everyone to know how we want to do things, and that will give us a stability that will allow individual qualities to flourish.”
Meanwhile, as Alonso was being introduced at Madrid, his former club announced that Erik ten Hag would be taking over as Leverkusen coach.
Dutchman Ten Hag was sacked as Manchester United coach last October after a poor start to the season, despite having led the club to League Cup and FA Cup final wins in his first two campaigns in England.
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham v Ajax, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
7.05pm Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm Underwriter
7.05pm Rayig
7.40pm Torno Subito
8.15pm Talento Puma
8.50pm Etisalat
9.25pm Gundogdu
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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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
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Company%20profile
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QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Company%C2%A0profile
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