MADRID // Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hailed Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact despite failing to score for the first time in Primera Liga this season as the European champions recorded a club record 16th consecutive victory in all competitions with a 2-1 win at Malaga.
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Ronaldo set up Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale either side of half-time to take his tally of assists to 10 alongside 26 goals in just 20 appearances this season.
“I liked his performance a lot. He was fantastic and the key in the game,” said the Italian.
“It is strange because we are so used to him scoring, but he provided two assists and a great part of the merit for this victory is owed to him.”
Madrid withstood a late surge from Malaga after Isco was shown a late red card on his return to La Rosaleda and Roque Santa Cruz headed home a consolation in stoppage time.
Victory takes Ancelotti’s men five points clear of Barcelona for 24 hours at least as the Catalans face a tough trip to Valencia on Sunday.
And the former Chelsea boss was keen to heap the praise on his players for a stunning run over the past eight weeks that has seen them overtake the 15 consecutive wins achieved by Miguel Munoz’s side in 1960/61 and with Jose Mourinho in charge three seasons ago.
“I am very happy. It seems like a dream, but we are delighted and hope is continues.
“I will get the merit for this record, but in reality I have the luck to coach a fantastic team, with fantastic players at a fantastic club.
“I have profound admiration for these players that are playing very well. We need to keep going though because the season is very long.”
However, defender Sergio Ramos highlighted the important role played by Ancelotti in blending Madrid’s superstar packed squad into a balanced unit.
And the Spanish international in particular hailed Ancelotti’s calm nature, in contrast to his predecessor Mourinho, with whom he and many other Madrid players clashed with towards the end of his tenure.
“It is a historic night. We have achieved an important record and it is a day to congratulate Ancelotti and all the squad. We are on the ideal track.
“He is the boss of this Real Madrid. There is a perfect calmness in the dressing room and that is fundamental for the team.”
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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UAE SQUAD
Khalid Essa (Al Ain), Ali Khaseif (Al Jazira), Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah), Mahmoud Khamis (Al Nasr), Yousef Jaber (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai), Khalifa Al Hammadi (Jazira), Salem Rashid (Jazira), Shaheen Abdelrahman (Sharjah), Faris Juma (Al Wahda), Mohammed Shaker (Al Ain), Mohammed Barghash (Wahda), Abdulaziz Haikal (Shabab Al Ahli), Ahmed Barman (Al Ain), Khamis Esmail (Wahda), Khaled Bawazir (Sharjah), Majed Surour (Sharjah), Abdullah Ramadan (Jazira), Mohammed Al Attas (Jazira), Fabio De Lima (Al Wasl), Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Khalfan Mubarak (Jazira), Habib Fardan (Nasr), Khalil Ibrahim (Wahda), Ali Mabkhout (Jazira), Ali Saleh (Wasl), Caio (Al Ain), Sebastian Tagliabue (Nasr).
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
