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Al-Hilal Dare Madrid As Spanish Giants Target Fifth Club World Cup Final Win
Real Madrid have proved they can find the net even if they must take the field without talisman Karim Benzema in Saturday’s Club World Cup final against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in Morocco.
Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Fede Valverde lined up in attack and all scored in the triumph, along with youngster Sergio Arribas from the bench.
Madrid were not at their best but the forwards had enough cutting edge to blow past the 10-time African Champions League winners in the final stages.
Ancelotti said Benzema’s injury was not serious, but the coach may choose to begin with the Ballon d’Or holder on the bench, even if he is fit to play, after his team’s clinical performance.
Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona in January and have fallen eight points behind their rivals in the La Liga title race.
Winning their second trophy of the season, after lifting the European Super Cup in August, would boost morale in the Spanish capital.
Al-Hilal, who overcame Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo in the other semi-final, have former Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo and ex-Atletico Madrid forward Luciano Vietto leading the line.
The 2021 Asian Champions League winners are aiming to win the trophy for the first time, having finished fourth in 2019 and 2021.
“We have to respect this team, they’ve got good players and play well collectively. They’ll be excited to play in the final and so will we,” said Ancelotti on Wednesday.
“Football’s changing because there are a lot of teams all over the world that can compete, fight and win too.”
– Finding form –
At two goals up against Al Ahly Madrid appeared to have sealed progress to the final but their opponents hit back with a penalty and missed a golden chance to equalise.
It was Valverde’s first goal for the club since November and Ancelotti was happy the Uruguayan was back on the scoresheet.
Amid reports of a family issue away from the game and after the World Cup, Valverde has not been at his best.
In the first half of the season the midfielder was Madrid’s key player, driving them through in the Champions League and helping them keep pace with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
“I’m happy because he played a good game,” said Ancelotti.
“He produced the goods, showed his quality and scored. Little by little he’s coming back.”
Vinicius was able to brush off the issues he has been suffering from in Spain recently too, including several instances of racist abuse, opening the scoring for Madrid with a delicate chip.
Madrid are undeniably more dangerous with Benzema leading the line but the forward has been set back by a string of niggling injuries this season.
Several other Madrid players have also been sidelined, including Thibaut Courtois, Ferland Mendy, Lucas Vazquez and Eden Hazard, who will not make the final, while Eder Militao is another doubt.
However after their goal glut against Al Ahly, Ancelotti will be confident his strikers can get the job done and make history on Saturday.
AFP
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
