Zidane faces son Enzo

• Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane will go up against his son Enzo Fernandez for the first time when he takes his struggling Spanish champions to Alaves on Saturday.

Midfielder Enzo, 22, left Real’s reserve team in the close season in search of first-team football at Alaves, where he has made two La Liga appearances so far.

But with his side already seven points behind early league leaders Barcelona and in desperate need of points, Zinedine will put his job over family ties.

“I hope he (Enzo) doesn’t score, we’ve got to look after our interests,” said the 1998 World Cup winner.

“I don’t know if it’ll be strange to be up against him but I’m happy for him because he’s doing a good job.

“I haven’t thought about it much. I’ll have my own feelings but the match is Alaves against Real Madrid, that’s the most important thing for me.”

For all Real’s early seasons struggles, Enzo has had it worse as he has played just 71 minutes despite Alaves failing to register a point or even score a goal so far this season.

Veteran Italian coach Gianni De Biasi takes charge for the first time against the European champions following the sacking of Luis Zubeldia.

And Enzo is hoping Alaves’ can kickstart their season, even if it comes at the expense of the club coached by his father and who he played for from the age of eight until just a few months ago.

“It is a special game, it is against my team since I was young,” Enzo told Alaves’ website.

“It will be strange, but also beautiful. I am desperate to play and let’s see if we can take a point off them.”

Zidane’s 19-year-old son Luca is also in the Real squad as third-choice goalkeeper, and like Enzo, he has played for the French Under-19 team, while his younger brothers Theo (15) and Elyaz (11) also play in Real youth sides.

Former Ballon d’Or winner Zidane said that he has not had a hands-on approach with Enzo’s career since he left the Santiago Bernabeu, after giving him his Real debut in a Copa Del Rey match last year, in which he scored.

“Enzo is very competitive, as am I. I’m watching his development as a player but I speak to him as a dad,” he added.

“I’m not his coach, I’m his dad and I don’t have to give him anything in terms of football. When we speak, it’s nothing more than a father-son relationship.”

Enzo admitted his first role model was his dad, but that it is the skills of Madrid midfielder Luka Modric he now tries to emulate.

“As a reference I have always had my dad because he is my dad and he was a great player,” he added.

“But of the current players my reference is Modric. He makes football look beautiful, I had the luck to share a dressing room with him last year to see him up close and learn from him.”

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/sports/news/160465/Zidane-faces-son-Enzo

Costa watches Griezmann fire Atletico into second

Diego Costa watched on from the directors’ box as Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Sevilla into second in La Liga thanks to goals from Yannick Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann in a 2-0 win at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday.

Costa’s drawn out move back to Atletico from Chelsea was finally agreed on Thursday, but the striker isn’t allowed to feature until the January transfer window opens.

However, the man who fired Atletico to La Liga in 2013/14, could still have a vital part to play in Atletico’s title challenge as they maintained an impressive start to the season despite the difficulties of a ban on registering new players and with their first three league games of the season away from home as a new 68,000 capacity home was completed.

Sevilla travelled to the Spanish capital unbeaten so far this season and came close early on when Pablo Sarabia’s shot was deflected onto his own post by Stefan Savic.

At the other end Filipe Luis then smashed the underside of the bar from Yannick Carrasco’s cutback in Atletico’s best effort of a first-half short on clear-cut chances.

However, it took less than a minute of the second-half to break the deadlock when Carrasco showed great awareness and pace to latch onto a short back pass from Steven N’Zonzi to beat Sergio Rico to the ball, round the keeper and slot into an empty net.

Griezmann then made the game safe 20 minutes from time as the French international won a tackle inside the Sevilla box before lifting himself off the floor to receive Luis’s pass and drill through Rico’s legs.

Diego Simeone then quickly withdrew Griezmann and Carrasco to keep them fresh for Wednesday’s visit of Chelsea in the Champions League.

But Atletico comfortably saw out the final stages to move to within a point of La Liga leaders Barcelona, who travel to Girona later on Saturday.

Real Madrid are also in action later at Alaves as they aim to close a seven-point gap on Barca following a shock 1-0 home defeat to Real Betis in midweek.

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/sports/news/160501/Costa-watches-Griezmann-fire-Atletico-into-second

Ceballos helps Real bounce back, Atletico down Sevilla

Dani Ceballos scored twice on his full debut as Real Madrid bounced back from a shock midweek defeat to Real Betis to close to within four points of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 2-1 win at Alaves.

Earlier, Diego Costa was an interested spectator as Atletico Madrid leapfrogged Sevilla into second thanks to goals from Yannick Carrasco and Antoine Griezmann in a 2-0 win at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Barca can re-establish their four-point lead over Atletico with victory later at Girona.

Ceballos was one of three changes made to the side that lost to Betis by Zinedine Zidane as Luka Modric and Gareth Bale were left on the bench ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund.

And the Spanish under-21 settled Madrid’s nerves after just 10 minutes as he caught Fernando Pacheco flat-footed by pulling the ball inside the goalkeeper’s near post from the edge of the area.

Alaves caretaker coach Javier Cabello had denied Enzo Zidane the chance to face his father Zinedine and former club as he was left out the Alaves squad.

However, Cabello did manage to inspire a more spirited display from the hosts despite a sixth straight defeat as they scored their first goal of the season five minutes before half-time.

Alaves captain Manu Garcia met Munir El Haddadi’s cross flush to power a header into the top corner.

Madrid retook just three minutes later, though, as Ceballos pounced on a poor punch from Pacheco to fire into the bottom corner.

Real should have ensured a far more comfortable afternoon after the break as Pacheco made a great save to deny Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo struck the woodwork twice and Sergio Ramos blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Yet, Alaves could also have snatched a first point of the season as Alfonso Pedraza’s deflected effort hit the bar before Pedraza struck the post when clean through on goal.

Atletico impress -

Atletico maintained their impressive start to the season despite the difficulties of a ban on registering new players.

Costa won’t be able to feature until January after completing his prolonged return to the club from Chelsea for a reported club record fee of 55 million euros ($66 million) plus 10 million more in add-ons.

“We are happy that a player of his stature wants to come to Atletico Madrid,” Atletico boss Diego Simeone said of Costa’s return.

Filipe Luis smashed the underside of the bar with Atletico’s best effort of a first-half short on clear-cut chances.

But it took less than a minute of the second period to break the deadlock when Carrasco showed great awareness and pace to latch onto a short back pass from Steven N’Zonzi to beat Sergio Rico to the ball, round the keeper and slot into an empty net.

Griezmann then made the game safe 20 minutes from time as the French international won a tackle inside the Sevilla box before lifting himself off the floor to receive Luis’s pass and drill through Rico’s legs.

“In the first-half we found it more difficult and they controlled the game,” added Simeone.

“But you could see with Carrasco, Griezmann and Filipe that if we got the final pass right we could win the game.

“At the start of the second-half we got the goal that put us on the right track.”

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/sports/news/160537/Ceballos-helps-Real-bounce-back-Atletico-down

Neymar-less PSG held by Montpellier

Paris Saint-Germain lost their perfect start to the Ligue 1 season as they struggled to a 0-0 draw at Montpellier on Saturday without the injured Neymar.

With the world’s most expensive player on the sidelines to ensure his fitness for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, PSG were uninspiring in attack against a stubborn Montpellier side playing in a 5-4-1 formation.

Rising star Kylian Mbappe had the best of the visitors’ chances, but the 18-year-old was profligate in front of goal as Unai Emery’s men could only extend their lead at the top of the table over reigning champions Monaco to one point.

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/sports/news/160541/Neymar-less-PSG-held-by-Montpellier

UK lawmaker murdered for “ideological cause”

British lawmaker Jo Cox, who was killed in the street shortly before the 23 June referendum on EU membership, died in a pre-meditated murder carried out for a political or ideological cause, jurors were told on Monday.

As the prosecution opened its case against Thomas Mair, 53, who is charged with Cox’s murder, the jury at London’s Old Bailey court were told witnesses had heard Mair repeatedly say “Britain First” during the attack.

Cox, a 41-year-old mother of two young children, was shot and repeatedly stabbed as she arrived for an advice session with constituents in the town of Birstall, part of her electoral district in northern England.

The murder of Cox, a former aid worker who had been an ardent supporter of staying in the EU, shocked Britain and led to the suspension for several days of referendum campaigning which had been growing increasingly bitter.

Mair is also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to 77-year-old Bernard Carter-Kenny, who tried to help Cox during the attack, and possession of a firearm and a dagger.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam told the jury Cox was shot three times and suffered multiple stab wounds.

“During the course of the murder, Thomas Mair was heard by a number of witnesses to say repeatedly: ‘Britain First’,” Whittam said.

“Thomas Mair’s intention was to kill her in what was a planned and pre-meditated murder for a political and/or ideological cause.”

“Death to traitors”

Carter-Kenny risked his own life and was stabbed with the same knife Mair used on Cox, Whittam added.

Earlier on Monday, with Cox’s mother, father and sister in court watching, eight men and four women were sworn in as jurors to hear the case which the judge Alan Wilkie said had attracted and would continue to attract considerable attention.

Mair, balding with a grey goatee beard and wearing a dark blue suit and black tie, sat silently in the dock flanked by three security guards.

At a hearing in October, he declined to respond when asked if he was guilty so the judge recorded not guilty pleas.

At the first court hearing following his arrest, Mair had said his name was “death to traitors, freedom for Britain” and the case, due to last two weeks, is being treated as a terrorism matter.

His lawyer has also previously told London’s Old Bailey central criminal court where the trial is being held that medical issues would not feature in the defence argument.

Cox’s murder briefly united politicians divided over the EU question and also led to questions about the security of lawmakers in their constituencies.

“As the trial starts I’d encourage everyone to remember Jo’s life & what she stood for, not the manner of her death,” her husband Brendan wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

The last British Member of Parliament to have been killed before Cox was Ian Gow, who died after an Irish Republican Army (IRA) bomb exploded under his car at his home in 1990.

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/international/news/129143/UK-lawmaker-murdered-for-“ideological-cause”

Modi promises to ease cash crunch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged Indians to give him more time to resolve a cash crunch that followed the withdrawal of high-value banknotes from circulation, as rival politicians lashed out at his handling of the crisis.

His comments came as the government said it was increasing a weekly cash withdrawal limit and taking steps to help people in remote areas access money as frustration mounted.

There have been huge queues outside banks and ATMs ever since they reopened last Thursday, two days after Modi announced that 500 ($7.50) and 1,000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender in a bid to tackle corruption and tax evasion.

Indians rely heavily on cash for their daily transactions and those living in rural areas or who do not have bank accounts have been particularly hard hit.

Modi said he had been “pained” by the hardships people were facing, but insisted the move would ultimately benefit poor Indians in the long run.

“I am aware you are facing difficulties... I understand the inconvenience,” he said at a political rally in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, which goes to the polls next year.

“I am really pained by the inconvenience and that is why I am working tirelessly to help people overcome this situation.

“I will never let anyone loot money that belongs to India’s poor.”

‘Financial chaos’

But opposition parties lashed out at Modi’s currency recall with several political parties teaming up to corner the government in the parliament’s winter session, which begins on Wednesday.

“Modi is saying give me 50 days to deal with the crises. But who created the crises?” Randeep Surjewala, main opposition Congress party spokesman said.

Opposition leaders have accused the government of throwing millions of common people in financial distress as the government failed to put adequate measures in place.

“(The) rich are sleeping in peace and only poor people are on roads to exchange their notes,” Kumari Mayawati, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh state said.

She termed the decision anti-poor and anti-farmer, saying it has hit the common man “very hard”.

Two leading bank unions also criticised the note ban saying it has led to “financial chaos” and the decision was taken “without proper planning or preparation”.

Banks remained open over the weekend to try to ease the crunch, but were closed on Monday due to a public holiday with many ATMs across the country running out of cash.

The government has said it will take time for the machines to be recalibrated to accept the new notes, adding to the general frustration.

On Monday, Shaktikanta Das, India’s secretary for economic affairs, said the government would increase a weekly withdrawal limit of 20,000 to 24,000 rupees.

It will also allow a network of so-called banking correspondents, who travel to rural areas to provide people with access to banking services, to carry more cash.

The government has said the old notes can temporarily be used for essential services such as medical assistance.

They can be exchanged for new ones or deposited in a bank account until December 30, but long queues and a lack of cash has hampered that process.

Modi pledged to crack down on so-called black money—vast piles of wealth kept hidden from the tax authorities—when he came to power in 2014.

Analysts have broadly welcomed the latest initiative, but said consumer spending would likely dip in the short term as the new notes made their way into circulation.

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/international/news/129133/Modi-promises-to-ease-cash-crunch

WikiLeaks’ Assange questioned by prosecutors

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was being questioned by prosecutors on Monday at the Ecuadoran embassy in London in the latest twist in the long-running legal battle over a rape allegation against him.

Swedish prosecutor Ingrid Isgren, who will be present while Assange is questioned by an Ecuadoran prosecutor, entered the embassy building shortly before 1000 GMT, an AFP photographer said.

Assange’s lawyer Per Samuelsson has said the questioning, which has been delayed in the past because of diplomatic disagreements between Ecuador and Sweden, could last several days.

“I am very hopeful... Objectively, there is no doubt that everything happened as Assange said it did,” Samuelsson told Sweden’s TT news agency.

“Free Assange” and “You Won’t Stop Wikileaks” read banners held up by a small group of protesters outside the embassy as the officials arrived.

“Freedom Loving People of the World Say Thank You Ecuador!” read another banner hung under the balcony from which Assange has sometimes addressed supporters.

A Swedish police inspector will also attend the questioning and investigators plan to take a DNA sample from Assange, subject to his agreement.

The creator of the secret-spilling website has been holed up in the red-brick building behind Harrods luxury department store for more than four years.

The 45-year-old Australian sought refuge in the embassy in June 2012 after Swedish prosecutors issued a European arrest warrant against him, over allegations of rape and sexual assault filed by two women who met Assange during a 2010 trip to Sweden.

He denied the claims, saying they were politically motivated, and insisting his sexual encounters with the two women were consensual.

He has refused to travel to Sweden for questioning, fearing he would be extradited to the United States over WikiLeaks’ release of 500,000 secret military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Swedish prosecutors dropped the sexual assault probe last year after the five-year statute of limitations expired.

But they still want to question him about the 2010 rape allegation, which carries a 10-year statute of limitations.

It was the first time Assange has been interviewed over the matter since initial questioning by Swedish police at the time of the allegation.

Assange, speaking through his lawyer, has said he welcomes the “chance to clear his name” and hopes the investigation will subsequently close.

In May, a Swedish court reaffirmed the arrest order, rejecting the finding of a UN working group that his confinement in the Ecuadoran embassy amounted to arbitrary detention.

Petition for Trump ‘pardon’

In the days since the US election, supporters have launched a petition calling on President-elect Donald Trump to pardon Assange by “absolving him of any crimes alleged against him”—an apparent reference to the military leaks.

The petition on the change.org website, which has gathered more than 17,700 signatures, hails Assange as a “hero” for exposing the “corruption of those who presume to rule us”.

Assange’s lawyer said he had made “repeated requests” for an interview with police to address the rape claim, though Ecuadoran prosecutors say a hearing scheduled for October was postponed at the Australian’s request.

“Julian Assange has always wanted to tell his version to the Swedish police. He wants a chance to clear his name,” Samuelsson told AFP.

The legal grilling comes after WikiLeaks returned to the spotlight with the leak of tens of thousands of emails from the US Democratic Party and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign in the final weeks of the race for the White House.

Assange defended the publication, denying links with Russia and claims that his website was trying to influence the US vote which saw Trump, a republican, elected.

Tensions with his Ecuadoran hosts have been growing, with the leaks prompting the embassy to cut Assange’s internet access, citing respect for “non-intervention” in the affairs of other states.

Source : http://en.prothom-alo.com/international/news/129127/WikiLeaks’-Assange-questioned-by-prosecutors