MADRID: Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will play his first match for the Spanish club after a nine-month injury layoff against Cadiz this weekend, coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Friday.
Belgian international Courtois, 31, has missed the entire season with a knee ligament injury and suffered a further setback in March which required another knee operation.
“Yes, Thibaut is fine. He will play tomorrow (Saturday) after a long period of absence,” said Ancelotti.
“He’s looking forward to playing. We’re delighted to see him return.”
La Liga leaders Real Madrid have their first chance to be crowned champions this weekend, although they need a helping hand from this season’s shock title challengers Girona.
Madrid host Cadiz on Saturday and if they win and Girona take any points off defending champions Barcelona immediately afterwards, Los Blancos will earn a record-extending 36th Spanish title.
Courtois has been back in team training for several weeks, and was part of the Madrid group to travel to Germany this week to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinal first leg 2-2 draw.
Asked about a possible start for Courtois in the Champions League final if they reach it, Ancelotti replied: “The final we have in mind is Wednesday against Bayern, in which (Andriy) Lunin will play, and then we will see.”
In 2022, Courtois was the prime architect of Real’s Champions League triumph, proving himself to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

DUBAI: Mounir Lazzez, having recently made the move into mixed martial arts promotion, is confident of surpassing his achievements as a fighter when he launches his new venture, 971 Fighting Championship, in Dubai on Saturday.

Spearheaded by Tunisian Lazzez, the first fighter born and raised in an Arab country to be signed to the UFC, 971 Fighting Championship is an innovative MMA entertainment brand that has been created with view to changing the face of the combat sports industry in the region.

Saturday’s high-profile launch event, at The Agenda in Dubai Media City, features 14 professional bouts, with Lebanon’s Mohammed Fakhreddine, the first Arab double champion, and Italy’s Gianni Melillo going head-to-head in the main event.

The two co-main events, meanwhile, are equally intriguing, with Ireland’s John Mitchell facing Egypt’s Adham Mohammed, while Eslam Abdul Baset, another Egyptian, takes on the UK’s Dan Vinni.

With further shows confirmed for August, October and December, Lazzez believes the arrival of 971 Fighting Championship signals an exciting new chapter for MMA.

“This is a big moment in relation to the long-term future of the sport, with 971 Fighting Championship providing a platform for fighters at various stages of their careers to showcase their talents,” he said.

“As a company, 971 Fighting Championship is fully committed to hosting entertaining events where elite athletes push their bodies to the limit and fans … go away knowing they have witnessed something special.

“Saturday’s launch event features some fantastic fighters, and The Agenda is a perfect location to launch such an amazing concept. We’re really looking forward to what promises to be a truly special occasion.”

After taking up MMA classes at the age of 15 in Tunisia, Lazzez’s career began to take off after a move to Dubai, where he represented several promotions, including the likes of Brave Combat Federation, and UAE Warriors, before signing to UFC in 2020.

Lazzez enjoyed a stunning debut, picking up the Fight of the Night award after a unanimous decision win over Abdul Razak Alhassan, before going on to face the likes of Warlley Alves, Ange Loosa and Gabriel Bonfim.

Now Lazzez is focused on ensuring 971 Fighting Championship is in a position to compete with some of its more established competitors in the long term.

“Becoming a professional MMA fighter was always my ambition and to have achieved a personal goal is a source of great pride, but that particular chapter is now closed,” he said.

“The 971 Fighting Championship has big aspirations, and everybody involved in the project is fiercely passionate about making the brand a major success.”

Lazzez now has an opportunity to make his mark on the sport in a different way, and he is well aware 971 Fighting Championship’s first event is a huge opportunity to put the brand on the map.

“While we have been working extensively behind the scenes for many months, Saturday’s event marks the beginning of our journey,” he says.

“Having been involved in the industry for many years, I’m well placed to assess what works well and, perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t.

“We believe our brand will become a huge success, but that will only be achieved with hard work and dedication.

“For a launch event, Saturday’s show is huge, with 14 bouts and a card made up of fighters from all around the world, which is what 971 Fighting Championship is all about. We can’t wait to get started.”