Andrew Conway helped himself to a double as Ireland eased to a 29-7 bonus-point victory over Wales in the opening game of the 2022 Six Nations to make it nine wins in a row.
Wales defied the odds to win the title last year but the injury hit visitors, without captain Alun Wyn Jones and a number of other experienced players, were outclassed in Dublin.
Ireland led 10-0 at half-time, with Bundee Aki crossing over for the only try, but their dominance truly told in the second half at the Aviva Stadium.
Conway added two more and Garry Ringrose joined the scoring, rendering Taine Basham's late try nothing more than a consolation as Ireland recorded a fifth home Test win in a row against Wales for the first time.
Ireland needed just two minutes to score the first try of the tournament through Aki, who had the simplest of run-ins after being picked out by debutant Mack Hansen.
Johnny Sexton added the extras and, after missing a couple of penalties in quick succession, the Irish skipper kicked over again to pass the 500-points mark in the Six Nations.
Conway collected an offload from Sexton early in the second half, jinked past a couple of opponents and squeezed over at full stretch, the try allowed to stand after a TMO check.
Josh Adams was sin-binned for a reckless challenge on Sexton and more misery was to follow for Wales as Conway profited from Josh van de Flier's work to double his try tally.
Ringrose breezed through to add a fourth try for Ireland, who were undone late on when Basham intercepted from Tadhg Beirne and dived down under the posts.
Declan Rice saved West Ham from FA Cup humiliation before Jarrod Bowen inflicted a second cruel blow on Kidderminster Harriers as the Premier League visitors won 2-1 in the FA Cup fourth round at Aggborough.
Alex Penny shot Kidderminster ahead in the 19th minute after West Ham made a mess of defending a free-kick, and that looked like being enough to secure a famous win, until Rice struck an equaliser in the first minute of stoppage time.
Watched by England's 1966 World Cup hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst, Rice snatched the chance to take the game to extra time, smashing home after dashing into the penalty area and sidestepping a tired challenge.
Kidderminster dug deep in the extra 30 minutes and looked sure to force a penalty shoot-out, but the minnows were again hurt by a late West Ham goal, with Bowen tucking home a close-range finish, again in stoppage time, to take the visitors into the fifth round.
West Ham sit fifth in the Premier League, with Kidderminster third in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football. For West Ham manager David Moyes, this was a close call with embarrassment on a major scale.
Only twice in the Premier League era has a non-league team beaten a top-flight side in the FA Cup – Luton Town against Norwich City in 2013 and Lincoln City against Burnley in 2017.
West Ham knew they were close to becoming the third team on that list, and Rice admitted Kidderminster would have been good value for victory in 90 minutes.
England midfielder Rice told BBC One: "Massive, massive respect to Kidderminster. We watched some videos of them this week and they've been flying.
"We weren't at our best and scraped it with two goals. They probably deserved it, if I'm being honest. We need to improve if we want to push on, but massive congratulations to them because they were excellent.
"The fans are on top of you and they will fight for every ball. It can be a shock to the system. We know what to expect but it's hard to get to grips with.
"They were in great shape, pressed hard and they made some great substitutions but we're through to the next round so that's the most important thing."
Relieved manager Moyes said: "We got it done. We certainly scored a really good first goal to get us back in the game.
"But all the credit goes to Kidderminster for how well they played. They did a terrific job. We didn't play well.
"I think if people came here and saw the sort of conditions, they'd maybe realise how difficult it could be.
"But no excuses for us, we didn't play well enough, and for me if you were to ask me any questions it should be about Kidderminster and how well they played, and they did a great job."
Moyes hailed the contribution from Rice, saying: "Everybody knows how important he is to us."
Norway celebrated gold in biathlon and cross-country skiing on Saturday as the most successful nation in Winter Olympics history topped the medals table.
Hosts China also got in on the gold medal action, along with Slovenia, Netherlands and Sweden, but the United States had yet to secure a medal of any colour.
Norway's mixed relay team of Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, Tiril Eckhoff, Tarjei Boe and Johannes Thingnes Boe edged out France and Russian Olympic Committee in a tight finish to the 4 x 6km event, finishing just 0.9 seconds clear.
Roeiseland said: "We did a great job, the whole team, and I'm so happy to race with such good team-mates. It's my first Olympic gold, so I'm super happy.
"It was so exciting to stand and see Johannes cross the finish line first. It was amazing."
Norway had been fifth after the third leg, but Johannes Thingnes Boe showed his prowess to guide the Norwegians into first place, in the event that combines cross-country and rifle shooting.
He said: "My feeling to anchor team Norway for gold, it doesn't get any bigger than this."
Norway's Therese Johaug had earlier won the first gold of the Games in the women's skiathlon, a 15km event.
Johaug was banned from the 2018 Games after a prior doping violation, but in Beijing she was an emphatic champion, finishing over half a minute ahead of Russian Olympic Committee's Natalia Nepryaeva and Austria's Teresa Stadlober, who took silver and bronze respectively.
China's golden moment arrived with success in the short track speed skating mixed team relay, narrowly beating Italy in the final.
Slovenia triumphed in women's ski jumping, Netherlands in women's speed skating and Sweden in men's freestyle skiing moguls.
Chelsea escaped an FA Cup shock at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 after extra time.
Thomas Tuchel, absent from the game after a positive COVID-19 test, saw his side battle back from an early Macaulay Gillesphey header through the unlikely duo of Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso.
Azpilicueta's stylish finish drew the Blues level but it was not until the 16th minute of the additional period that Alonso struck to send them into round five.
Plymouth nearly forced a shoot-out but Ryan Hardie's penalty was comfortably saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga in a dramatic finish, the Chelsea keeper sparing the blushes of Malang Sarr.
The visitors, whose last win over Chelsea was in the EFL Cup 42 years ago, had previously gone 13 consecutive FA Cup ties against top-flight teams without going through since they beat West Brom in 1983-84.
Their travelling fans were understandably in raptures when Gillesphey outmuscled Romelu Lukaku to glance in Jordan Houghton's cross in just the eighth minute to put them ahead.
Luck then played its part in preserving Plymouth's lead, Mateo Kovacic and Callum Hudson-Odoi each hitting the crossbar and the former rifling a low shot off the left-hand post.
Chelsea got their equaliser four minutes before the break, though, Azpilicueta backheeling home Mason Mount's low cross from the right.
The Spain defender repeated the trick just before the hour mark, but he was clearly offside following a header from Lukaku, who had earlier failed to meet a teasing Mount cross.
Chelsea could not turn dominance of the ball into many meaningful chances, though, and Kepa Arrizabalaga had to be alert to block an effort from Hardie, who was through on goal.
Michael Cooper then flew to his right to tip over a Mount strike as Plymouth stayed resolute against an attacking quintet of Lukaku, Mount, Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz to force the extra 30 minutes.
Just before the extra-time interval, Chelsea finally put a clinical move together, Havertz playing a one-two with Werner before squaring for Alonso to side-foot home.
That looked like being the end of the drama but, in the 117th minute, Hardie won a penalty from Sarr only to see his poor attempt saved by Kepa.
Shaun White has confirmed the Winter Olympics halfpipe will be his last snowboarding event before retiring from the sport.
The American has a place in Games history under lock and key already, as the first and so far only snowboarder to win three gold medals.
"I really want to finish my career strongly on my own terms and put down some solid runs. If I could do that, I'll be very happy," White said on Saturday.
"I don't know how many kids really aspire to be a cowboy and get to be a cowboy. At a young age, snowboarding is what I wanted more than anything and to be walking in these shoes today is just incredible. It feels so amazing, I'm so proud."
White said he came close to missing a Games bus on Friday night because he was too occupied with trading USA team pins – an Olympics ritual that sees stars and participants swapping the colourful pin badges, amassing collections to take away as mementos.
"I'm having as much fun as I can," White said.
It is worth remembering what White has brought to the Winter Olympics and snow sport as a whole.
At the X Games – the Mardi Gras of extreme sports – White has totted up 23 medals, of which 15 have been gold. Thirteen of those gold medals have come in snowboarding, but two came in skateboarding, highlighting his prowess there.
Eight of his X Games golds came in the halfpipe event, with the other five achieved in slopestyle, the snowboarding variant that features obstacles.
He was the first snowboarder to score a perfect 100 in the halfpipe in the Winter X Games, achieving that 10 years ago in Aspen, Colorado.
White triumphed first at the Games as a 19-year-old in Turin in 2006, defending his title in 2010 in Vancouver, and recovering from the jolt of missing out on the Sochi podium four years later by landing gold again at Pyeongchang.
His score of 97.75 in his second run at Pyeongchang stands as an Olympic record.
His final bid for glory is coming up, with men's halfpipe qualifying taking place on Wednesday, before Zhangjiakou's Genting Snow Park stages the final runs on Friday.
"It will be my last competition, which is pretty special," said White, in a news conference on Saturday.
It was already known this would be his final Olympics.
Now 35, White has been snowboarding since the age of six. The red-haired Californian goes by the nickname of 'The Flying Tomato', and he says the experience of knowing this is his farewell Olympics is "pretty heavy, but I'm enjoying it".
"It's been a beautiful run. Let's see this through and see what's next," he said. "I definitely don't think I'll be leaving the sport anytime soon. All these people within an industry that ride backcountry and pipes. I'm just excited for the next chapter."
In what could be seen as its clearest demonstration yet of its thrust towards equity, diversity and development, the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) has selected a list of Chef De Missions for next six major international campaigns.
Former national squash player Karen Anderson will lead Jamaica’s delegation to the 2022 Caribbean Games, Rudolph Speid takes Jamaica to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Paulton Gordon will assume duties for the 2023 CAC Games while Nicole Grant Brown will be at the helm for the Pan Am Games.
Corporate Business Executive and Owner, Ian Kelly wears the hat of delegation leader for the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024 while Businessman and Sports Administrator Gregory Moore takes the helm for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
This broad and varied selection exemplifies the JOA’s quest to bring a higher level of leadership across the spectrum of sports in Jamaica.
"The JOA will continue to not only professionalize the management of the Games under our remit but will continue to provide opportunities for our members to participate in the space and to make meaningful contributions to the Jamaican sporting arena,” said JOA General-Secretary Ryan Foster.
“We believe in providing an avenue for all as sport does not reside with one person or association but we all have our own contribution to make. The naming of the Chef de Missions for the various games is a broad representation of what we have articulated in our Sport for All campaign.
“We see the games as a critical part in the self-actualization of many in their quest for greatness but it is also one facet of how the JOA continues to support the growth and development of sport in Jamaica."
For Anderson, who has represented Jamaica in shooting and squash, her appointment is rewarding on several levels.
“It is a great honour to represent my country as the Chef De Mission for the Caribbean Games. I have represented Jamaica as a player, a referee, and coach at both Commonwealth Games and Pan American Games, so going into sports administration as the Chef De Mission for multi-sport games is almost a natural transition for me,” she said.
“I look forward to the challenge of it, the opportunity of it and it’s the first Caribbean Games so it’s an honour to be thought of to be considered and selected for that role.”
She was quick to point out that with herself and Nicole Grant being selected for similar roles over the next four years is a step forward to women, who have largely been overlooked for similar roles in previous years but who have now been given the opportunity to demonstrate that they are as equally capable to executing well in positions usually reserved for their male counterparts.
“I think it has just been opportunity and for women to be seen that we can do the job just as equally if not sometimes better than men. It’s great that the JOA is now putting women out there and giving us those opportunities to shine,” she said.
“We have the capacity to do it so it’s just a matter of being given an opportunity. This is a time when the JOA is stepping to the fore and saying here are these women, let’s give them the opportunity to lead on an international level, which I think is remarkable on their part.”
Paulton Gordon heads the Jamaica Basketball Association and has led the fraternity on several international campaigns. For him, this is yet another opportunity to grow and develop as an administrator as well as another feather in his cap on a personal level.
“I am elated to serve,” he said. “It will provide me with a more rounded view of the dynamics involved in a multi-sport, multi-cultural environment. It will certainly broaden my knowledge base and competence in planning, organizing and the coordinating the participation of a large contingent at a major sporting event.”
More broadly, he said, “It provides an opportunity to further contribute to the development of sport and hone skills that require cultural adjustments based on the international nature of the appointment. Networking opportunities will emerge that will facilitate human resource growth and allow the sporting bodies to tap into opportunities regionally.”
Following on the heels of businessman and JOA director Gary Peart being named Chef De Mission for Jamaica’s successful and history-making campaign at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in Japan in 2021, Ian Kelly, Derrimon Trading Chief Financial Officer and Director of many corporate boards, follows in a similar fashion for the Paris Games in 2026.
The JOA has continued to adopt a business approach to the execution of the games and Ian will bring not only his corporate expertise but also his knowledge of managing sport teams, the JOA said.
Similarly, President of Jamaica Esports Initiative, Gregory Moore cites his opportunity as one that will create synergies that will foster a changed mindset as it relates to sports in Jamaica.
“I am honoured to have been appointed Chef De Mission to the next staging of the Winter Olympics in Italy in 2026. I am a businessman and also the president of the Jamaica eSports Initiative, which is a federation under the JOA. We had taken a different approach towards getting that federation up and running.
“We decided to work on structure first so we spent the last two years with a structured approach, more administrative than just pushing the activity by itself.
“With this appointment, I intend to have the same approach because sports are a business and if you don’t treat it as such you won’t be able to facilitate expansion and I believe the JOA has shown that over the last few years taking that business-structured approach.”
The aforementioned approach, Moore believes, will help facilitate the kind of growth that the country will ultimately benefit from in that growth creates opportunities and those opportunities will continue to drive diversification and development.
“I know that the primary role is to ensure the welfare and the well-being of the team, so that will definitely come first, but I will be seeking opportunities for co-working and creating synergies between international entities and our local entities because that is what is going to create more synergies in Jamaica between federations, between organizations. I am just going to play my role, focus on the team and try to see where opportunities will come up for us to form some relationships to create synergies.”
Xavi hopes Atletico Madrid's Luis Suarez receives a standing ovation from Barcelona's supporters on Sunday, as he ranked the Uruguayan alongside Samuel Eto'o as "the best modern-day Barca centre forward".
Suarez left Barca – in frustrating circumstances for the former Liverpool star and his close friend Lionel Messi – in 2020, with then-coach Ronald Koeman having deemed him surplus to requirements.
Barca's decision backfired as Suarez went on to propel Atleti to their second LaLiga title under Diego Simeone, scoring 21 top-flight goals last season.
The 35-year-old scored 198 goals for Barca between 2014 and 2020, netting once every 120 minutes, and said he was "disrespected" by the club when they decided to ship him out.
Xavi played alongside Suarez in his first season at Camp Nou, and believes the forward must be categorised as a modern-day great at Barca.
"I think he deserves a standing ovation," Xavi said of Suarez in a news conference previewing Sunday's clash with Atleti.
"The best modern-day Barca centre forward, with Eto'o. He has been great. You have to welcome him with honour.
"The pity is that he couldn't leave with a great tribute because of COVID."
Antoine Griezmann could well partner Suarez up top, with the France attacker returning to his parent club.
Griezmann has played more LaLiga games for Atleti against Barcelona without scoring than any other opponent (11).
Xavi, meanwhile, is facing Atleti for the first time as a coach. As a player, he lost none of his last eight appearances against Los Rojiblancos in the competition (W6 D2).
Barca would move above Atleti should they win, though if Atleti triumph, Diego Simeone will surpass Slovakian Ferdinand Daucik (234) for the most LaLiga victories by a non-Spanish manager in the competition's history.
Asked for his thoughts on Simeone's style of play, Xavi said: "It wouldn't be Barca's style, it wouldn't fit in, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have merit and isn't competitive.
"People wouldn't understand if we were defensive. They win and it's legal to play like that, but it's not my style. It doesn't mean I don't admire him. Cholo is a great coach, it's not a criticism."
Barca are well adrift of LaLiga leaders Real Madrid, and Xavi understands that his priority is securing Champions League qualification.
"At the moment I want to enter the Champions League and then I don't rule anything out knowing the difficulty," he said. "We are 15 points down with one game in hand. We have to be realists."
As the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 reaches its crescendo, Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt has lauded the diligence and commitment of the four host governments and tournament staff in delivering another world-class event.
Speaking in Antigua yesterday – ahead of today’s grand tournament finale between England and India – he noted that, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has taken place “almost seamlessly which is a great credit to all who worked tirelessly to make it a reality in difficult circumstances”.
“We knew it would be extra tough hosting such a large sporting event during the pandemic, especially moving so many people around different countries with different protocols; 16 teams, match officials, event staff, and broadcast crews. Then we had to factor in the periodic (COVID-19) testing of everyone associated with the tournament and, of course, we had some positive cases which we dealt with appropriately. It has proven a rigorous examination of our readiness; the systems we put in place; and of our ability to adapt and respond quickly to evolving situations,” he noted.
“Our people have done an amazing job to stay focused and to keep cricket playing. Congratulations to all the host countries as well as to our Tournament Director Fawwaz Baksh and the entire Project Team. I must single out our host governments for going above and beyond to ensure this event’s success. Thank you for such wholehearted and priceless support.”
Stressing this is the fourth International Cricket Council (ICC) global tournament being hosted by Cricket West Indies, Skerritt underscored the value of having “a growing cadre of sport-events professionals who are experienced in delivering events to world-class standards and capable of remaining calm under pressure”.
“Our Tournament Director and other project staff have worked on previous World Cups which the region has hosted. The fact that we were able to stay on track with the tournament schedule is glowing testament to them, as well as to the dedication of the host governments, the Local Organizing Committees, the airlines, hotels, medical experts, transportation operators and other service providers with whom we worked.
“Everyone understood what was at stake. This has been a collective exercise in resilience and a determination to find solutions and to show our best in the face of adversity. It has been great teamwork – including with the ICC – and a sterling reminder that we are always stronger together.”
The President was thankful that COVID-19 hardly interfered with on-field action in the 23-day event; with only two matches in the Plate competition being cancelled because Canada could not field a team.
“Fans watching on television or via live streaming have been marvelling at how we have pulled this off. It was viewing as usual – cricket being played in Guyana, St. Kitts, Trinidad and now Antigua – and ultimately that’s what will be remembered: the exploits of the next generation of international stars and the excitement they brought to the world.”
The Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday is the match that many observers had wished to see and that Jurgen Klopp had perhaps hoped to avoid.
Senegal, runners-up to Algeria two years ago, have the chance to get their hands on the trophy for the first time at Olembe Stadium. Standing in their way are Egypt, seeking a record-extending eighth African title and their first since 2010.
It will also be the much-anticipated meeting of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool stars looking to cement their status as the finest players from the continent.
Reds manager Klopp could be forgiven for wishing both teams had been knocked out sooner so he could have Mane and Salah back on Merseyside, but he described it as a "great achievement" to see both players competing for the trophy.
"Now it's obviously not so easy because one will definitely be really happy after and the other one much less so, but both have a good chance to achieve something really big," he said.
Salah did not need to take a penalty in the semi-final shoot-out with Cameroon, who beat them in their last final appearance in 2017, as the host nation missed three kicks in a row to send the Pharoahs through.
This will be a record-equalling ninth AFCON final for Egypt and their first meeting with Senegal in this competition since the 2006 semi-finals, which they won 2-1 en route to lifting the trophy. Overall, the head-to-head record stands at two wins each.
Yet Senegal have won 11 matches over the past three AFCON tournaments, more than any other team, and kept the most clean sheets (12) in that time. That form has continued in 2022: they have won four of their six games, scoring nine times and conceding just twice, hitting three in their quarter-final and semi-final wins while Egypt have needed extra time or penalties in three straight matches.
Mane's influence has helped them become clinical: at these finals, Senegal have scored nine goals from 81 attempts, a shot conversion rate bettered only by Cameroon (11 goals from 91 shots). Egypt, with four goals from 76 efforts, have the lowest conversion rate among any of the teams to reach the knockout phase.
Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz, however, is not feeling concerned.
"Words like fear have been erased from our dictionary," he said. "In our football dictionary, there is the word 'respect'. We have great respect for our opponents and their players, because they are performing well and scoring goals. But we are ready."
For Senegal counterpart Aliou Cisse, a losing finalist as a player and coach, his players' mental fortitude is the most important thing they have.
"We know it will be a very difficult final," he said. "I congratulate my players because we have come a long way. They had the right mentality. I can assure you that the best quality of a player in the national team is having the right mentality."
Players to watch
Senegal: Sadio Mane
With a goal and an assist in the semi-final win over Burkina Faso, Mane has been directly involved in nine (six scored, three assisted) of Senegal's past 14 goals at the AFCON. He will be looking to register a goal involvement in four consecutive matches in this competition for the first time.
The pressure is firmly on Mane to lead the top-ranked team in Africa to the trophy for the first time.
Egypt: Mohamed Salah
Salah has only scored twice at these finals, excluding the shoot-out win over Ivory Coast, but his influence extends beyond goals of his own: since his competition debut in January 2017, he has been directly involved in 68 shots at goal for Egypt (41 shots, 27 chances created). Only Tunisia's Wahbi Khazri (70 – 40 shots, 30 chances created) has been involved in more in this time.
"Salah is not only the best player in Egypt but a world-class player and his presence is a boost for the other members of the team," said Egypt assistant coach Diaa al-Sayed. "He is a guide and a leader. His presence is so crucial for us. He came here to win and we hope he will."
Xavi believes Ousmane Dembele can still be a useful player for Barcelona for the remainder of the season, despite the winger's refusal to agree a new deal.
Barca insisted last month that Dembele would be sold before the transfer window's deadline after the 24-year-old turned down the club's latest contract offer.
Dembele, signed from Borussia Dortmund for an initial €105million in 2017 following Neymar's departure to Paris Saint-Germain, has struggled with injuries since his move to Camp Nou.
He has played just six times in LaLiga this season and in just over half of Barca's league games since his arrival four-and-a-half years ago.
Dembele has managed 31 goals and 22 assists in 129 appearances since his debut in September 2017, meaning he has been directly involved in 0.63 goals per 90 minutes. That puts him on a par with Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial among wingers from Europe's top five leagues, and just behind Liverpool star Sadio Mane (0.64).
In his sole season at Dortmund, Dembele created 100 chances in all competitions, scoring 10 goals.
Xavi made it clear upon his arrival as coach last year that he saw Dembele as a key player for the future of the club, but the France international is now into the last five months of his deal.
PSG seemed set to sign him late in the January window, but that move did not go ahead, while there is also rumoured interest from the Premier League.
However, Barca and Dembele have now decided to put their differences to one side and Xavi insisted it would be a foolish move to omit him from the squad.
"Well, we haven't found a solution for Dembele," he told a news conference ahead of Sunday's clash with reigning LaLiga champions Atletico Madrid, for which Dembele was included in the squad alongside new arrivals Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
"The situation is as it was a month ago, he hasn't signed a contract. We had a meeting with the president. We have all met and we have decided that he is part of the squad. We cannot shoot ourselves in the foot.
"He's a player for Barca. We have to use him, he can help us, he has been a good professional when he has been involved or not, so that's the club’s decision. We will use him. I think he can be useful, he's part of the team."
Asked if he is concerned about the reaction of the fans to Dembele, Xavi said: "I understand the fans if they are hurt, but we have to close ranks for the good of the team. He is training well.
"He is a club player and his commitment is clear. His commitment is impeccable."
Another Barca player in talks over a renewal is centre-back Ronald Araujo, and Xavi is eager to tie the 22-year-old down.
"Yes, it is a priority. It is a reality and it gives us a lot," he said. "A very popular person in the locker room. It is a priority operation."
Xavi also confirmed that both Traore, re-signed on loan from Wolves, and Aubameyang, who has joined essentially as a free agent after cutting ties with Arsenal, are in contention to face Atleti.
"Both of them have trained well. Probably Adama is in a better shape. Auba has had COVID-19, so he was working individually [before leaving Arsenal], so we will decide," Xavi said.
"They are excited and we also want to see them in the squad. Two great signings.
"We have reinforced ourselves well and let's see how far we get. There is a good atmosphere and a good group."
Karim Benzema will not be fit to return for Real Madrid's clash with Granada on Sunday, while head coach Carlo Ancelotti insists he has no personal issue with Eden Hazard.
LaLiga top scorer Benzema missed the midweek Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao with a hamstring complaint.
He was pictured training on Friday, but the France striker will once again miss out for the league leaders, who are without Vinicius Jr through suspension..
"Benzema won't play. He's improved, but he's not 100 per cent yet. He trained yesterday but not today, we've got to wait two or three more days," head coach Ancelotti told a pre-match news conference.
"The team are ready, we know Vinicius and Karim are both out."
Ancelotti acknowledged the importance of Benzema to his team but dismissed the notion Madrid are overly reliant on their talisman.
"Of course we're missing Benzema, he's the top scorer in the league, scoring lots of goals this season for Real Madrid," Ancelotti said.
"I think you look at teams and their Benzemas [star player], if they miss that player of course it's a big loss, it's a blow.
"Without Benzema it's tougher, but without Benzema we've won games. I think we've done well without Karim Benzema."
Hazard's form has flattered to deceive since joining in a big-money move from Chelsea in 2019, though a star turn in a 2-1 win at Athletic back in December prompted praise from Ancelotti.
Since then, though, minutes have been hard to come by for the Belgium forward, who was an unused substitute for the Copa setback.
Asked about Hazard, Ancelotti replied: "There's no issues between myself and the player, he's training, he's now fit.
"But then I have to decide who I think is the best team. But I just preferred a different player. Hazard played against Elche [in the previous round of the Copa], scored after he came on, it's not as if he's not playing. He has been playing.
"There's not a personal issue with him, there's not a physical issue either, there's no issue we're not sharing about Hazard. No secrets."
Team-mate Gareth Bale was also not utilised in the Copa fixture and was filmed seemingly chuckling when Hazard was told to sit back down with 18 minutes remaining having gone out to warm up.
Ancelotti said he did not see the incident.
"I didn't see it, I don't know why he laughed, and it doesn't seem important to me," the Italian said.
"We wanted to put Hazard on in extra time and that's why he warmed up. Three players have to warm up, that's the maximum. I wanted my players warming up, taking turns, I couldn't send six players to warm up."
Madrid's Copa exit followed a come-from-behind 2-2 draw against Elche in LaLiga last week, with Los Blancos enduring a dip in form.
Ancelotti, though, says he has no issue with any criticism that comes his way.
"I'm not hurt, I'm used to this, to living these moments. It's a confirmation that I'm the coach of Real Madrid and you always have to make decisions, and sometimes you're right and you're wrong. Nothing new," he said.
"I'm so happy that I'm manager here, I don't mind criticism. It keeps me on my toes. It also makes you think things through a bit more."
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has tested positive for COVID-19.
The club confirmed the news just over an hour before Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round match with Plymouth Argyle at Stamford Bridge.
Tuchel, who is self-isolating, will not fly out with the Chelsea squad for the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi next week, although it is hoped he will be able to join them at a later date.
The rest of Chelsea's travelling group are due to depart for the United Arab Emirates after the Plymouth game.
European champions Chelsea face a semi-final on Wednesday against either AFC Champions League holders Al Hilal or 2020-21 UAE Pro League winners Al Jazira.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is enthused by the signing of Argentina international forward Julian Alvarez from River Plate, describing the transfer as "a really, really good deal".
The Premier League leaders announced the signing of Alvarez on Monday, when the forward turned 22, in a deal worth a reported £14million ($18.8m).
Alvarez has signed a five-and-a-half-year deal but will stay with River on a loan that will last until at least July and could be extended.
He had been linked with a number of Europe's biggest clubs after scoring 24 goals in 46 games for River in all competitions during an impressive 2021.
That form saw him earn his first senior Argentina cap in June and he has gone on to feature a further five times for his national side.
"I saw him many times, I have the info about him and for the age, for the price, for many reasons and for the future it's a really, really good deal," said Guardiola.
"He is a guy who has a sense of goal, the quality, the movement in behind - a street player.
"The club decided OK, for that age and especially for the fact he stays under Marcelo Gallardo, one of the best managers in the world by far, he's going to develop again and again in this part of the season.
"He is so dynamic. I think when he is playing the goal is there in his mind with the way he finishes and makes the movements over five metres."
Describing what else he likes about the new signing, Guardiola added: "He has the desire, the passion and the strength without the ball.
"He is so young and you see that. He is hungry. At that age it is so nice to have. It can refresh so many things in a team when you have that.
"That is why I love to work with academy players, when they have the talent and skills, and they are good here.
"When that happens, it is so productive for the senior players that we have because they produce something new in terms of rhythm, with no complaints.
"I like to have 15 or 16 top players otherwise you can’t compete. The rest I like to have from the academy, but they have to be good, or it makes no sense.
"In pre-season he will come, he will join us and after that we'll see what happens."
Guardiola sees Alvarez playing in a central role for City when he joins up with them.
"Up front, in the middle," he said after being asked where Alvarez may fit into his line-up. "I see a player more in positions between the pockets and the striker.
"A guy with this sense of goal has to play close to the goal."
City host Championship side Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Kyrie Irving says it is time for the struggling Brooklyn Nets to face the reality of their situation in the NBA but urged the team not to panic.
As the returning Donovan Mitchell dominated, Brooklyn went down to a heavy 125-102 loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday.
James Harden (hamstring), Kevin Durant (knee), LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) and Joe Harris (ankle) were all again absent for a Nets team who have lost seven straight games.
The team were tipped for a championship run this season but have plummeted to sixth in the Eastern Conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Denver to face the Nuggets.
Amid the Nets' worst run of the season, Irving told ESPN: "It's really just where we are, facing reality that we are not winning ballgames right now.
"We have got to kind of get out of that hole with just one win and then start a new streak from that point.
"[There is] no time to feel like our season is in doomsday or that we need to push the panic button at all points.
"But we have to face reality that a lot of guys, a lot of my teammates, we're still getting to know one another, how we play, what's our spots, offensive and defensive tendencies.
"And then communication - knowing that we can get on guys and guys love to be coached.
"It's not just from the head coach or the assistants but really just from us as teammates and then trusting that we have the experience to win basketball games."
Irving, who cannot play in home games due to COVID-19 vaccination rules in New York City, insists building a winning culture takes time.
He had a poor game against the Jazz, finishing with 15 points in 31 minutes on court after going just six for 20 from the field.
"Myself alone, I can't do it," Irving said. "It's always going to be about the collective unit and how we feel good about being close as a team and then going out there and playing basketball, which is supposed to be fun.
"But when you're losing and it's a win-first league and a win-only league - you get judged by wins and statistics and how well you put a streak together and how consistent you are. So the spot we're in is going to look like it's far worse than what it is.
"Being in this league for as long as I have been for 11 years, I've seen ups and downs, experiences.
"We have just got to trust that we have the group regardless of who's in or out of the lineup to be able to put a 48-minute game together.
"I don't feel like I'm close to where I want to be personally.
"I have mountain-high expectations for myself, but right now I feel like with our personnel, if I'm not shooting well or I'm not playing well or we don't have the same production from guys that we're used to getting it from, it's going to be a tough night.
"Building championship habits takes time and time is not necessarily always on our side.
"It is about staying resilient and knowing that there's another level to push to when you're tired and you have all the excuses in the world and you just continue on. You don't hold your head or anything like that."
Rookie Cam Thomas was one bright spot for the Nets, posting a career-high 30 points.
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