Former Real Madird defender Roberto Carlos believes he could be key to taking Barcelona’s Neymar to the Bernabeu.
The 42-year-old former Brazil international confirmed he was currently involved in talks to join new Real manager Zinedine Zidane’s backroom staff at the Primera Liga club.
The World Cup winner is confident he could persuade compatriot Neymar, who came third at Monday night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony, to join Madrid from rivals Barca.
Read more:
Barca’s Lionel Messi feels ‘incredible’ after beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to fifth Ballon d’Or
Barcelona and Real Madrid pack the line-up — Fifa World Team of the Year
Barcelona eye quarter-finals to end fiery Espanyol series + Copa del Rey kick-off times UAE
He told marca.com: “I had a meeting with Real Madrid about my future with the club.
“Soon I will know how I can collaborate with Zidane’s Madrid.”
While, regarding Barca striker Neymar, he added: “I can take him to Real Madrid. He’s very young. I am sure next year he will finish even higher in the Ballon d’Or.”
Zidane replaced Rafael Benitez, after just seven months in charge, at the helm eight days ago and led them to a 5-0 La Liga victory on his debut at home to Deportivo on Saturday.
Gareth Bale scored a hat-trick in that win and Roberto Carlos believes Zidane can help turn the Wales striker into a leading candidate for the Fifa award which was won for a fifth time by Argentina's Lionel Messi.
He added: “Zidane is a leader in the dressing room. His personality is going to make him very successful. A coach has to befriend his players and Benitez struggled to form a bond with them.
“Zidane can do whatever he wants with him and maybe even turn him into a candidate for the Ballon d’Or.”
Madrid are through to the last 16 of the Uefa Champions League where they will face Roma but were thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player in the 3-1 fourth-round victory at Cadiz, with an appeal having been rejected.
Zidane’s men, third in the table, are next in action when they take on Sporting Gijon at home on Sunday.
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
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.
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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