MADRID: Carlo Ancelotti defended Karim Benzema from accusations he is not playing with Real Madrid to be ready for the World Cup, saying Wednesday the France striker himself is upset about his lack of minutes going into Qatar.
The 34-year-old Benzema, who has been dealing with muscle fatigue, will miss his sixth straight start when Madrid host Cádiz in the Spanish league on Thursday. It will be the club’s last match before the World Cup break.
Ancelotti said it was “silly” for people to say Benzema was trying to preserve himself for the France national team.
“It’s a small ailment, and Karim has tried to recover from it,” the Madrid coach said. “He is the first one who is frustrated with the situation, as he is entering the World Cup without the minutes he would have needed to be in better condition.”
Since winning the Ballon d’Or for best player of the year three weeks ago, Benzema missed matches against Sevilla, Leipzig, Girona and Rayo Vallecano. He played less than 30 minutes after coming off the bench in a 5-1 rout of Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League this month. His most recent start was in a 3-0 win at Elche in the Spanish league on Oct. 19, when he scored his last goal.
“The only thing that bothers me is that Karim has not been able to help the team with his quality,” Ancelotti said.
Benzema is set to be back at the World Cup after missing out on the 2018 tournament in Russia. France coach Didier Deschamps will announce the squad that will try to the defend the World Cup title in Qatar on Wednesday.
Ancelotti also defended Vinícius Júnior from accusations he was provoking other players too much in recent matches.
“Vini is the player who receives the most fouls, the most hits, the most shoves,” Ancelotti said about the forward that will be with Brazil at the World Cup.
Madrid need to beat relegation-threatened Cádiz to enter the World Cup break within three points of Spanish league leader Barcelona, which came from behind to win 2-1 at Osasuna on Tuesday.
Madrid are the defending champion both in the Spanish league and the Champions League.
Ancelotti defends Benzema for not playing ahead of World Cup
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Ancelotti defends Benzema for not playing ahead of World Cup
- Benzema will miss his sixth straight start when Madrid host Cádiz in the Spanish league on Thursday
- Ancelotti said it was “silly” for people to say Benzema was trying to preserve himself for the France national team
Desert Vipers chief urges side to focus on playoff, not ILT20 trophy
- The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final
DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ director of cricket, Tom Moody, has urged his side to focus on the immediate challenge of Qualifier 1 against MI Emirates on Tuesday rather than lifting the DP World ILT20 trophy.
Speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast on Monday, Moody said: “You do not look at the prize, as simple as that. Yes, we all want to be successful. Yes, we all want to win trophies, but if you get too obsessed with that mission, you end up falling short.”
The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final.
Moody, a former World Cup winner with Australia, stressed the importance of approaching the game positively and executing a perfect performance with bat, ball and in the field.
“If we just take that positive outlook and draw on the experience we have had, concentrate on just trying to put together our perfect game, we should be in good hands,” he said.
Moody acknowledged the strength of MI Emirates, led by Kieron Pollard, and highlighted the challenge of playing at Abu Dhabi, where the opposition is familiar with the conditions.
“They play most of their games there, so that is an advantage for them. But at the end of the day, you are not really playing the opposition; you are playing the ball,” he added.
Reflecting on the Vipers’ season, Moody said five of their eight league wins came in the final over, giving the team experience under pressure.
“It gives important lessons for the team and builds trust within the playing group,” he said.
He also addressed the impact of the cooler conditions in the UAE and dew on the finals series, saying the team must adapt regardless of the toss.
“From my perspective, the mindset we need to share is that it does not matter. We just need to adapt,” he said.
