VILA-REAL, Spain: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday his team will not play another football game after fewer than 72 hours of rest.
Los Blancos beat Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night in the Champions League on penalties and then earned a 2-1 win at Villarreal on Saturday, with the game kicking off at 1630 GMT.
“I think today is the last time we will play a game before 72 hours (of rest),” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We will never play another game (without) 72 hours of rest.
“We asked La Liga twice to change the time of the game and they did not do anything, this is the last time.”
World football governing body FIFA recommends at least 72 hours between matches in order to protect the health of the players.
French striker Kylian Mbappe struck twice for Madrid against Villarreal to take them top of La Liga ahead of Barcelona’s game at Atletico on Sunday.
“I am very proud of this team,” continued Ancelotti.
“It was a potential banana skin, above all for what has happened, the (few) hours of rest, and the strength of the opponent.”
Ancelotti has regularly complained about the packed football calendar, with Madrid one of the clubs who will also be involved at the expanded Club World Cup this summer in the United States.
“Everyone saw the game against Atletico, 120 minutes, a very intense match, it’s hard to play after two days... but we have to respect the club badge and fight until the end, and we did that today and we were able to win,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the scheduling of the game was disrespectful to Madrid.
“We don’t want to look for excuses, I’m happy to say we did not lose or draw because of the tiredness, but it’s not normal playing (at this time) today,” said Courtois.
“I know La Liga don’t like to put (the three biggest teams) on the same day, but sometimes it’s what you have to do... it was a lack of respect to the team and our players, because we could have left here with someone injured.
“Tomorrow is Atletico against Barca and that’s not a problem, it could be a ‘Super Sunday’ with Madrid playing first.”
Real Madrid will never play with under 72 hours rest again: Ancelotti
https://arab.news/4mbtt
Real Madrid will never play with under 72 hours rest again: Ancelotti
- “I think today is the last time we will play a game before 72 hours (of rest),” Ancelotti told reporters
- “We will never play another game (without) 72 hours of rest”
France midfielder Rabiot has a calf problem and could miss Croatia match
PARIS: France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has a minor calf injury and is doubtful to face Croatia in the return leg of the Nations League quarterfinals on Sunday.
Rabiot came off midway through the second half on Thursday in Split, where Les Bleus lost 2-0.
“Rabiot has a calf problem and will not train this (Saturday) evening,” Deschamps said at a pre-match news conference. “It looks complicated for tomorrow.”
France won the Nations League in 2021 but lost to Croatia 1-0 at home the following year.
Before Sunday’s game, France will pay tribute to all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud, who retired from the national team last year after scoring 57 goals in 137 matches.
Thierry Henry is second with 51 followed by Kylian Mbappé on 48. Mbappé missed chances to score in Split.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL opener
The star batsman hit four fours and three sixes as Bengaluru chased down the defending champions’ 174-8 with 22 balls to spare.
Phil Salt scored 56 off 31 balls, adding 95 off 51 balls with Kohli in a whirlwind opening stand that powered Bengaluru’s total of 177-3 in 16.2 overs.
Salt, who played a prominent role for Kolkata in their 2024 triumph, was picked by Bengaluru in this season’s player auctions and made an impression in the very first game.
For Kolkata, skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 56 off 31 balls, including six fours and four sixes.
Rahane is leading the defending champions after last year’s winning captain Shreyas Iyer was not retained by the franchise and moved to Punjab Kings for this season.
Bengaluru, led by Rajat Patidar for the first time, had won the toss and opted to bowl with the dew-factor in mind.
Put into bat, Kolkata lost Quinton de Kock early when he was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for four.
A couple of catching chances went begging as the hosts fought back through Rahane and opener Sunil Narine.
Narine hit 44 off 26 balls, with five fours and three sixes, and put on 103 off 55 balls with Rahane. It was the skipper who set the tone by hitting six fours and four sixes in his first outing for Kolkata.
Bengaluru put on the brakes with spin as the duo both fell within four deliveries with the score reading 109-3 in 10.3 overs.
Kolkata then lost their way as big-money all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer was bowled for six, while Rinku Singh scored only 12.
Both were bowled off Krunal Pandya, who picked 3-29 in four overs in his first outing for Bengaluru. Andre Russell was also bowled for four off wrist spinner Suyash Sharma — another former Kolkata player.
Impact sub Angkrish Raghvanshi’s 30 off 22 balls pushed the score past 170, but it proved under par.
In reply, Kohli and Salt set an electric pace as the packed Eden Gardens chanted for the visiting side.
Salt hit nine fours and two sixes to set the tone and brought up 50 off only 25 balls. Kohli also scored at a brisk pace, as RCB was 80-0 in six overs – the highest opening stand in the powerplay in IPL history.
Kohli reached his 56th IPL half-century off 30 balls, and continued in attacking fashion, even as wickets fell at the other end.
There was too much dew for Kolkata’s spinners to have any impact, as Bengaluru pushed aggressively through the chase.
Patidar chipped in with a quickfire cameo – 34 off 16 balls, with five fours and a six – on his captaincy debut.
Sunday will see the first double-header of the season – 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad first take on Rajasthan Royals at home, followed by the high-profile clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in Chennai.
Green Falcons start training ahead of Tuesday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Japan
- Head coach Herve Renard divided the players into two groups
- National team will hold a closed training session on Sunday
SAITAMA, Japan: Saudi Arabia’s national football team started training on Saturday at Saitama Stadium’s training pitch in preparation for their clash against their host Japan on Tuesday.
The Green Falcons will face off with Japan at Saitama Stadium 2002 as part of the eighth round of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On the field, head coach Herve Renard divided the players into two groups. The first group included those who played their recent match against China, and were assigned recovery exercises at the health club.
The second group, which consisted of the remaining players, had warm-up exercises followed by small-sided games. Later, the players carried out a variety of tactical exercises, and the session concluded with stretching.
The national team will hold a closed training session on Sunday, at 7:00 p.m. at the same training pitch.
The Green Falcons arrived in Japan on Friday evening, a day after beating 10-man China 1-0 in Riyadh to get their 2026 World Cup qualification campaign back on track.
Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64
- “The wider Algerian football family and JS Kabylie are in mourning following the announcement of the death of Djamel Menad,” JS Kabylie wrote
- Born on July 22, 1960 in the town of El Bayadh, Menad represented his country 79 times, scoring 25 goals, over a 15-year international career
ALGIERS: Former Algeria forward Djamel Menad has died aged 64 following a short illness, his ex-club JS Kabylie announced on Saturday.
“The wider Algerian football family and JS Kabylie are in mourning following the announcement of the death of Djamel Menad, a former player and true legend of football in the country,” JS Kabylie wrote on social media.
“In recent weeks, the health of the former center-forward of the Algerian national team had deteriorated rapidly as a result of a devastating illness that struck him around two months ago,” indicated news website TSA.
Menad died in a clinic in Algiers where he had been hospitalized on March 14, after returning from Brussels where he had been receiving treatment for a month, reported Algerian football media DZfoot.
Born on July 22, 1960 in the town of El Bayadh, Menad represented his country 79 times, scoring 25 goals, over a 15-year international career.
Menad’s efforts in helping Algeria reach the 1986 World Cup in Mexico resulted in him being named Algerian sportsman of the year in 1985.
He was notably top scorer at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, with four goals in five appearances as Algeria claimed the trophy on home soil.
Over his club career, Menad played for Algerian sides JS Kabylie, CR Belouizdad and USM Alger. He also played in Europe for French club Nimes, as well as Portuguese sides Famalicao and Belenenses.
Menad moved into coaching after his playing career and was most recently sporting director at JS Kabylie.
Saudi national football team arrives in Japan for World Cup qualifiers
The Saudi national football team arrived in Japan on Friday ahead of the team’s match for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The match between Saudi Arabia and Japan will take place on Tuesday at the Saitama Stadium 2002 and is part of the seventh round of the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
The team was greeted by Saudi Deputy Ambassador to Japan Anas Al-Nuwaiser and several embassy staff members on arriving at Japan’s Narita International Airport.
On Thursday, Japan became the first team to qualify for the World Cup after winning 2-0 against Bahrain, followed by Saudi Arabia after defeating China 1-0.
