MADRID: When Karim Benzema went down in pain after getting hurt in a practice session during Real Madrid’s preseason tour in the United States, it was understandable why his teammates and the coaching staff appeared concerned.
Madrid can’t afford to lose Benzema, who was the team’s best player last season and had a key role as the club won the Champions League and the Spanish league.
To repeat their success, Madrid know they will need the 34-year-old France striker to perform at a high level for another season. And the club bet he can do it — Madrid didn’t make any major additions to their attack.
Thankfully for Madrid, it was just a knock that brought Benzema down in practice across the pond. He is set to be ready when Madrid begins its season this month.
“Benzema is in good shape,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said during the team’s preseason tour. “He is fine despite not having trained much. He came back well. He’s fine but still needs to work on his fitness.”
Benzema did not play in the friendly against Barcelona in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, when Madrid struggled offensively in a 1-0 loss. Benzema was back in the starting lineup against Mexican club América in San Francisco, playing well and scoring a goal in the 2-2 draw. He also scored once in the team’s 2-0 win over Juventus in Los Angeles.
“Benzema is the best player in the world, so we obviously lack something when he is not playing,” Ancelotti said.
Madrid are hoping Benzema can perform at least close to how he did last season, when he led an attack that also included Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo. The trio helped the club score 80 goals in the Spanish league, 12 more than any other club.
Benzema also was crucial as a leader and adviser to the youngsters.
“Karim’s been telling me to be brave since I arrived at the club,” the 22-year-old Vinícius said. “We have had a very good connection and have linked up to win a lot of games.”
Benzema himself had his best season ever, being the top scorer in the Spanish league and the Champions League. He scored 44 goals from 45 matches with Madrid, and equaled Raúl González as the club’s second-highest scorer with 323 goals, behind the 451 of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Frenchman, a strong candidate to win best player of the year awards for his performances last season, has thrived after being in the shadow of Ronaldo until the Portugal star left for Juventus in 2018.
Madrid did not make many high-profile signings since Ronaldo left, and its attempt to boost its attack with Kylian Mbappé failed this season. The other forward in the squad include Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio and Mariano Díaz. Gareth Bale left at the end of last season and the club did not replace him.
The team’s only additions to the squad came in defense with central defender Antonio Rüdiger and midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni.
If Benzema remains in top form, though, Madrid should do just fine with the players they have in the squad.
Madrid’s season begin on Aug. 10 in the UEFA Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki. The club will play their first match in the Spanish league on Aug. 14 at promoted Almería.
Madrid bets Benzema will stay in top form for another season
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Madrid bets Benzema will stay in top form for another season
- Madrid can't afford to lose Benzema
- Madrid know they will need the 34-year-old France striker to perform at a high level for another season
Balancing act required from Renard and Saudi at 26th Arabian Gulf Cup
- Green Falcons will be taking a strong squad to Kuwait, but one eye will be on the resumption of 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Bahrain and Iraq will see this tournament the same way as Saudi — a chance to lift a trophy but also get ready for March’s crucial qualifiers
The last time the Arabian Gulf Cup rolled around was just after the 2022 World Cup and it was almost an afterthought for Saudi Arabia and head coach Herve Renard, especially as the Saudi Pro League was in full swing.
Not this time. As the 26th edition kicks off this week, all eyes are on Kuwait and whether the Green Falcons can find the form to lift the trophy and also ignite their faltering 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.
Winning the Gulf Cup for the first time since 2004 will be a big deal but the excitement and plaudits would quickly fade if the team miss out on the expanded 48-team World Cup. Renard has a tricky test to get the balance right: achieve results but also look ahead. Another failure would increase the already substantial pressure surrounding Saudi Arabia.
Qualification for the 2026 World Cup has not been going well. After six games in the third round, Saudi Arabia have six points, with just that one win in China (courtesy of a last-minute Hassan Kadesh header) to look back on. With only the top two certain of going to the World Cup and Japan already nine points clear, the other five teams are separated by just a single point. It is going to be a brutal race for second and if the Green Falcons do not improve before March’s games then everything is in doubt.
The Gulf Cup is also important for Renard. The Frenchman returned in October to replace Roberto Mancini. Renard may only have ended his first spell just over 18 months earlier, but he needs time to get to grips with the team. His first game in November was a battling 0-0 draw in Australia, an encouraging start that was quickly followed by a 2-0 loss at the hands of Indonesia in Jakarta.
Against that background comes the Gulf Cup. There are no Saudi Pro League games meaning that, unlike last time, Renard will take his strongest side to compete in the eight-team tournament that is split into two groups of four with the top two going into the semis. Saudi Arabia are in Group B and kick off against Bahrain on Sunday — a rival for that second spot in World Cup qualification — before Yemen on Dec. 25 and Iraq three days later.
Even assuming, as expected, Yemen end up fourth and last, it should be a tough few days. Bahrain and Iraq will see this tournament the same way as Saudi — a chance to lift a trophy but also to get ready for March’s crucial qualifiers. Getting to the final is not just an objective in its own right but also means five competitive games and valuable preparation time.
The biggest issue for Saudi Arabia is obvious: goals, or rather the lack of them. Three scored in six qualifiers is a shocking statistic and none in the last four is even worse. Defender Kadesh scored twice from set pieces in the second matchday against China which followed Musab Al-Juwayr’s equaliser against Indonesia in the opening game. The strikers have not found the target at all. If these issues continue then Saudi Arabia are going to miss out on the World Cup.
Firas Al-Buraikan, Saleh Al-Shehri and Abdullah Al-Hamdan are all familiar names while Abdullah Radif is an increasingly regular face at international level. Renard needs to get these forwards firing, or at least one of them.
There is some encouraging news. In this week’s friendly, played behind closed doors to the media as well as fans, Saudi Arabia defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3-1. Both Al-Shehri and Al-Hamdan were on target. With the poor results of late and the negative publicity around the team, it was perhaps a wise decision to make the match low-key and Renard will be hoping that his strikers now have a little more confidence.
The injury to Salem Al-Dawsari makes it all a little harder. The team’s talisman and best creative talent is likely to miss the early stages, meaning that others will have to step up. There may be a chance for some younger talents such as Ayman Fallatah, Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari, Abdulaziz Al-Othman and Mohammed Al-Qahtani to make a name for themselves but the old stalwarts at the back such as Ali Al-Bulaihi, Sultan Al-Ghannam (though these two missed training Wednesday due to minor ailments) and Yasser Al-Shahrani need to play their part.
In short, the pressure is on. The Gulf Cup could be the catalyst for change that Renard and Saudi Arabia are looking for after a disappointing 2024.
India to play Champions Trophy on neutral ground, not Pakistan
- In return, Pakistan will also play upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in other countries, yet to be decided
- The agreement will extend to ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
KARACHI: India will play next year’s Champions Trophy matches on neutral ground after refusing to visit tournament host and arch-rival Pakistan, the International Cricket Council said Thursday following weeks of wrangling.
In return, Pakistan will also play upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in other countries, yet to be decided.
“India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 rights cycle will be played at a neutral venue, the ICC Board confirmed,” said a statement released by the body.
“This will apply to the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 (hosted by Pakistan).”
The agreement will extend to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 hosted by India, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the statement added.
The announcement ended a month-long stand-off over the Champions Trophy, after India told the ICC it will not send its team to Pakistan because of security fears and political tension.
Pakistan did, however, play in India during the 2023 ICC World Cup hosted there.
Sharjah shine again as UAE Pro League takes break ahead of Gulf Cup start
- Cosmin Olaroiu’s team lead the table after 10 rounds as reigning champions Al-Wasl struggle
DUBAI: A lull in play for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup provides an opportune moment to assess a burgeoning 2024-25 ADNOC Pro League.
Superstar signings, such as Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai Club’s Sardar Azmoun, and surprise packages — leaders Sharjah were nowhere close to being pre-season title favorites — have lit up the opening 10 rounds.
We have also seen holders Al-Wasl afflicted by the usual champions’ curse, while there has been mixed fortunes for promoted Al-Orooba and Dibba Al-Hisn.
Before an upwardly mobile UAE under Paulo Bento begin their regional campaign in Kuwait this weekend, here is a chance to reflect on domestic matters.
King out to reclaim the crown
We should have known not to discount serial trophy hoarder Cosmin Olaroiu.
A dismal 2023-24, following an unprecedented quartet of silverware the campaign prior, featured a distant fourth-placed finish for fractious Sharjah and no realistic shots at further success.
This time, the team known as The King is living up to its ostentatious moniker. Rejuvenated attackers Firas Ben Larbi and Caio — with a remarkable 11 goal contributions in 10 run-outs — have helped produce a defiant 27-point tally from the opening 30 available, with strength of character being shown by a perfect response to Oct. 27’s 2-1 defeat at a raucous Rashid Stadium for the summit clash with Paulo Sousa’s Shabab Al-Ahli.
Olaroiu has lifted 19 trophies during 17 stellar years across Asian football. Criticism weathered last term has, seemingly, increased focus at an unfancied club whose unpretentious pre-season business was highlighted by Brazil Under-23 prospect Guilherme Biro, unheralded ex-Croatia youth midfielder Darko Nejasmic and Dutch journeyman forward Tyrone Conraad filling the void left by an underwhelming Moussa Marega.
Star-studded Shabab Al-Ahli lead chasing pack
There was no lack of glamour, however, in second-placed Shabab Al-Ahli’s preparations.
Manager Sousa was one of the 1990’s most-celebrated midfielders. Powerhouse Iran centre forward Azmoun arrived on the back of Bundesliga glory at Bayer Leverkusen and has staked a strong claim to be last summer’s standout addition.
Resident stars already included UAE flyers Yahya Al-Ghassani and Harib Abdalla, plus ex-Crystal Palace stalwart midfielder Luka Milivojevic. A perfect return of 18 points from the opening six games hinted at a title procession, but things are kept interesting by recent draws with seventh-placed dark-horses Kalba and mid-table Khor Fakkan.
Joy in an epic Emaar Super Cup against sorry Wasl, and salt thrown on the same opponents’ wounds four-days later in one-sided 3-0 top-flight triumph, shows the pedigree of a team who can narrow the lead to an uncomfortable one point with victory in their game in hand.
Elsewhere, sleeping giants Al-Nasr have built on significant 2023/24 momentum gained under Alfred Schreuder to sit third on 19 points. Evergreen veterans Adel Taarabt and Ali Mabkhout — dramatically recruited to positive effect from boyhood club Al-Jazira — head their charge.
Anything could happen at fourth-placed Al-Wahda after this week’s stunning call to dispense with ex-Celtic, New York City FC and Club Brugge manager Ronny Deila. Neighbors Jazira in sixth will hope to see more from France playmaker Nabil Fekir, if he can get clear of injury worries.
Fifth-placed Al-Ain, meanwhile, are enduring an abject defence of their AFC Champions League crown, yet could go on a top-flight charge now Shabab Al-Ahli’s 2022/23 title-winning tactician Leonardo Jardim is at the helm and one of UAE football’s leading hitmen is roaring back to his best.
Never count out Kodjo
Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba was an afterthought when Al-Ain stunned the continent.
With manager Hernan Crespo gone by October, he is now experiencing one of the great league campaigns. The Togo center forward’s pacesetting 14 strikes are coming at a breakneck average of one every 43.7 minutes.
This imposing tally has included smashing through the 100-goal ADNOC Pro League barrier with an opening round hat-trick versus Khor Fakkan, while also usurping Ghana megastar Asamoah Gyan.
Such merciless excellence has thrust him into a bracket of his own this season. This is despite the bravura campaigns being undertaken by electric Iran attacker Mehdi Ghayedi at Kalba, Sharjah’s impactful Caio and a refreshed Mabkhout hitting the heights once more expected of the UAE, and its top flight’s, record scorer.
Tough at the top for Wasl
It has been a campaign of contrast for defending double-winners Al-Wasl.
Serene progress to AFC Champions League Elite’s knockout stages contrasted with a penalty shootout defeat in a Super Cup temporarily lit up by midfielder Nicolas Gimenez’s back-heel volleyed Puskas Award contender. Plus, finding themselves in the mid-table mire from eighth along with the likes of Ajman, Khor Fakkan and Baniyas.
Dejected manager Milos Milojevic virtually ceded the title after this week’s defeat to Shabab Al-Ahli. This is no shock after the runaway champions degenerated into a frustrated side with only three league wins, plus a draining five draws from six run-outs in all competitions from Oct. 26-Dec. 2.
The wait for the UAE’s next back-to-back league winner will stretch past a 12th year.
Can Dibba Al-Hisn end promoted pain?
It was a foregone conclusion throughout the entirety of last term that promoted Emirates Club and Hatta would be relegated.
Orooba have gone from First Division League winners, to bottom spot. But, there are signs of fight this time from Dibba Al-Hisn.
Hulking four-goal Tunisia striker Haithem Jouini, experienced compatriot Oussama Haddadi and three-goal Midana Cassama have shown fight.
They prepare for January’s restart outside the drop zone, albeit only by one point and one place. Several near misses since October’s hire of head coach Hassan Al-Abdooli have cost them greater security.
Cricket’s corruption problem remains an ongoing concern
- Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara, one of cricket’s most respected figures, has warned that the proliferation of franchise leagues increases the opportunities for match-fixing
Behind the glitz of the recent Indian Premier League auction and Jay Shah’s conspicuous presence at a recent meeting of the 2032 Brisbane Organizing Olympic Committee, lies cricket’s darker side. One aspect of that side is corruption in the form of match-fixing. Recent examples have shown that it is an on-going threat.
Earlier this month, Kumar Sangakkara, one of cricket’s most respected figures, highlighted the threat during a conference in Colombo. The former Sri Lankan captain warned that the proliferation of franchise leagues increases the opportunities for match- and spot-fixing. The conference was chaired by Sumathi Dharmawardena, who is also the independent chair of the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
The unit’s outgoing chair, Alex Marshall, has previously identified poorly managed minor leagues as a breeding ground for corruption. It is not clear if this description extends to the Abu Dhabi T10 league, which concluded its eighth edition on Dec. 2. Over its lifetime, it has had its share of controversy. Last year, eight individuals were charged with breaching the game’s Anti-Corruption Code following an investigation into the 2021 edition.
One of the accused, Sunny Dhillon, an assistant coach, has been banned for six years, backdated to Sept. 13, 2023, when Dhillon was provisionally suspended. Dhillon was convicted of trying to change or affect the outcome of, or parts of, matches. And failure or refusal to provide full information regarding any approaches or invitations received that relate to corrupt conduct. He was also accused of failure to cooperate with the corruption investigation without providing a valid reason. This is a long charge sheet.
Amongst the others who were charged, former first-class cricketer Ashar Zaidi was banned for five years having admitted to facilitating corruption. Parag Sanghvi and Krishan Kumar Choudhary, co-owners of the Pune Devils, for whom Zaidi played, were each banned for one year. Sanghvi admitted to placing bets on matches and Choudhary failed to cooperate with the investigation. Both bans were backdated to Sept. 19, 2023. This seems rather lenient.
Another player, Nasir Hossain, a former Bangladesh international, was banned from all cricket in early 2024 for two years, with six months of those suspended. Less fortunate was UK-based club cricketer Rizwan Javed, who received a ban of 17 years and six months. This was based on a failure to respond to charges, which included an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly, matches or aspects of matches on three separate occasions.
Scrutiny of the league has returned this year, precipitated by a series of unusual front-foot no-balls. On Nov. 22, UAE bowler, Hazrat Bilal, playing for the Morrisville Samp Army, overstepped the popping crease by a large margin. This necessitated adjustments to the camera frame before replays could be shown. Several of his teammates were observed laughing at the replay.
Four days later in a match between the Delhi Bulls and the Bangla Tigers, former Sri Lanka skipper, Dasun Shanaka, conceded 30 runs off his first three deliveries, including four no-balls, of the penultimate over of the Delhi Bulls’ innings. Such a performance is guaranteed to raise eyebrows. The website, Cricket Addictor, has suggested that Shanaka is facing match-fixing allegations.
Sri Lankan cricket has had its own issues of corruption, as have other sports in the country. In 2019, Sri Lanka's parliament introduced a series of activities deemed to be corruption-related, along with a list of penalties. These followed an investigation by the ICC anti-corruption unit into Sri Lankan cricket. The country is believed to be the first and only Asian nation to criminalize corruption in sports.
Hopes were raised that the removal of a discredited government by a decisive public mandate in September 2024 would lead to further meaningful transformation. Sunil Gamage is the new sports minister and he has acknowledged the rampant corruption, abuse, nepotism and dishonesty in the country’s sporting landscape. Further measures to reform this have yet to emerge.
The problems have certainly not gone away. In Sri Lanka’s own T10 Super League, for which the final was on Dec. 19, the Indian owner of the Galle Marvels franchise was arrested in Colombo on Dec. 12 over match-fixing allegations. During his court hearing, Prem Thakur testified that he was prepared to provide a confidential statement to the magistrate regarding the accusations, under Article 127 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Allegedly, the arrest was based on a complaint by a player in his franchise who refused to accede to Thakur’s match-fixing request.
This is the first edition of Lanka T10. It is run by Sri Lankan Cricket in partnership with T Ten Sports Management group, which organizes the Abu Dhabi T10 and the Zim-Afro T10 events. It was due to commence in 2023 but was postponed owing to financial issues. Almost half of the round robin matches were rained off, which may have reduced the potential for illegal activity.
The appointment of Marshall in September 2017 at the ICC coincided with the rise of franchise cricket and the concomitant potential increase in corruption activity. However, it is not limited to the franchise world. In his book, “Playing to Fix,” Paul Radley has provided a fine-grained analysis of the illegal activities into which members of the UAE team were drawn when the team was on the brink of qualifying for the 2019 World Cup.
One part of the unfolding story is the role of the ICC anti-corruption unit and the processes and procedures which Marshall and his team had to follow in order to obtain proof of illegal activity and, ultimately, convictions. The story also reveals how the illegal activity of teammates wore down morale and performance amongst those who were not involved.
Every accusation and conviction strikes at the heart of cricket’s integrity. The need for vigilance has never been greater. Sangakkara emphasized the need for proactive measures, such as player education programs and confidential reporting mechanisms, designed to prevent illegal activity.
The ICC has these in place but, as the central governing body, it lacks overall control of franchise leagues, which are subject to local board control. This is not always robust. Cricket’s administrators and leaders have a huge responsibility to ensure that the game’s sanctity is protected and preserved. It is not evident that adequate mechanisms are in place.
Next Gen ATP Finals get underway in Jeddah
- Van Assche, Michelsen win opening matches in Red Group afternoon session
- Tien, Fonseca secure dramatic Blue Group victories over Mensik and Fils, respectively
JEDDAH: The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF got underway in Jeddah on Wednesday as King Abdullah Sports City hosted tennis stars of the future for the second consecutive year.
Featuring the world’s eight best 20-and-under men’s players, the event is being held in the Kingdom as part of a five-year partnership between the ATP Tour and the Saudi Tennis Federation.
The year-ending tournament is known for its unique scoring format of four-game sets and technological innovation, ensuring fast-paced matches and added drama starting with the Red Group in the afternoon session.
In the first match, sixth seed Luca Van Assche made a triumphant return to Jeddah by defeating fourth seed Juncheng Shang 4-3 (7-3), 2-4, 4-1, 4-3 (7-5) in an entertaining contest.
France’s Van Assche reached the semifinals in Jeddah last year and used his greater tournament experience to secure an impressive victory against his higher-ranked Chinese opponent.
Van Assche, 20, said: “I’m very happy to be back here. It was a great experience for me last year, now it’s my second time. The city is great, the facilities are beautiful, and the hotel is unbelievable.
“It was difficult match today because he’s an unbelievable player. He’s in the top 50, so I knew it was going to be a tough match, and I’m very happy with my performance. I managed to be very calm. I’ve been working a lot the last couple of weeks. I managed to be very consistent.”
Second seed Alex Michelsen soon followed Van Assche in the Red Group win column, fighting back from a set down against fellow American Nishesh Basavareddy to emerge from an enthralling battle with a 2-4, 4-3 (7-5), 4-3 (7-4), 4-2 victory.
Basavareddy is making his debut at the Next Gen ATP Finals before making his ATP Tour debut, a consequence of his impressive run on the second-tier ATP Challenger Tour during the final stretch of the season.
The 19-year-old began brightly to suggest a surprise result could be on the cards, but Michelsen’s composure during two crucial tiebreaks swung the match in his favor. Trailing by a break and 1-2 in the fourth set, Michelsen won three straight games to secure his first victory on his second appearance in Jeddah.
Michelsen, 20, said: “Considering I went 0-3 last year, winning this first one felt really good. It’s always a good feeling and I felt really relieved to get that one done.
“He definitely handled (his debut) better than I did last year. He was rushing me very quickly from the beginning, and I didn’t have answers. Then I found my way into a couple of breakers. I feel like I served pretty well today, so that always helps.”
The evening session saw seventh seed Learner Tien deny third seed Jakub Mensik from completing a rousing comeback by sealing a dramatic 4-3 (8-6), 4-3 (7-3), 2-4, 2-4, 4-3 (10-8) triumph.
The 19-year-old American looked to be on course for a comfortable surprise victory over the ATP Rookie of the Year after winning the first two sets in tiebreaks, but the powerful Mensik soon found his rhythm and range to wrestle the momentum and level the match at two sets each.
The 19-year-old Czech moved to within three points of a superb comeback victory when he led the fifth-set tiebreak 4-1, but Tien dug deep to level at 5-5. Both players saved match points before Tien eventually clinched the win at the third attempt, completing a memorable win in his first professional match outside the US.
Tien said: “A really tough match. I had the lead early and then found myself down in the fifth (set tiebreak), but really happy to get through. The crowd the whole time was great, cheering for both of us a lot. It was a great place to play with the lights and all the effects on break points and stuff like that. It was a really cool match.”
The drama continued into the final match of the day as eighth seed Joao Fonseca stunned top seed Arthur Fils 3-4 (9-11), 4-2, 4-1, 1-4, 4-1. The 18-year-old Brazilian is the youngest player in the field and was the last to qualify, while 20-year-old Fils is the highest-ranked star in Jeddah at world No. 20. Despite being separated by 125 places in the PIF ATP Rankings, Fonseca delivered a superb display to clinch a fine victory on debut against the 2023 finalist.
Day 2 will start with the Red Group in the afternoon session with Shang against Basavareddy followed by Michelsen versus Van Assche. The evening session will focus on the Blue Group, beginning with a heavyweight clash between Fils and Mensik, before Tien and Fonseca conclude the action.
