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Zidane leaves out Benzema for Champions League tie against Atalanta
Madrid, Feb 23 (IANS) Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has not included striker Karim Benzema in the 19-man squad for his side's vital Champions League last 16 tie away to Atalanta on Wednesday night.
The striker, who has netted 17 goals in all competitions this season, has still not recovered from a slight tear in his left abductor muscle, which kept him out of Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win away to Valladolid on Saturday.
He was replaced by Mariano Diaz at the weekend and the 27-year-old looks likely to lead the Real Madrid line again on Wednesday night, Xinhua news agency reports.
Benzema isn't the only player Zidane will be missing on Wednesday with club captain Sergio Ramos still sidelined after undergoing minor knee surgery, while the absence of Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola will also miss out along with central defender Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Fede Valverde and Eden Hazard.
The long injury list means that Zidane has again had to call on players from the Real Madrid B-team, with defender Victor Chust, Miguel Gutierrez, Antonio Blanco, Jesus Arribas and Hugo Duro also traveling.
Both midfielder Arribas and forward Duro came into Saturday's win as second half substitutes.
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Petrol, diesel prices steady even as crude boils
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Oil marketing companies have spared consumers of yet another petrol and diesel price hike even though the global oil market is on the boil with crude reaching within touching distance of year-high-level of $70 a barrel.
Petrol continues to be priced at Rs 91.17 a litre and diesel Rs 81.47 a litre in the capital on Saturday. Across the country too, the petrol and diesel price remained unchanged.
This is seventh consecutive day when pump prices of auto fuels have remains unchanged.
After a spike in global oil prices seen over last two weeks with crude price jumping close to $67 a barrel, prices had fallen to around $63 a barrel but it rose again to cross $69 a barrel mark now after after the OPEC+ decision to continue with crude production cut in April.
Petrol and diesel prices have been rising continuously since February 9. In the 14 increases since then, price have gone up by Rs 4.22 per litre for petrol while diesel rate has risen by Rs 4.34 a litre in Delhi.
The increase in the previous weeks has taken petrol to cross historic high levels of Rs 100 a litre in several cities across the country.
The petrol and diesel prices have increased 26 times in 2021 with the two auto fuels increasing by Rs 7.46 and Rs 7.60 per litre, respectively so far this year.
Oil companies executives said that petrol and diesel prices may increase further in coming days as retail prices may have to be balanced in line with global developments to prevent OMCs from making loss on sale of auto fuels.
--IANS
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