Nicolas Cage lookalike takes Real Madrid for a ride

Sunday, Mar 09, 2008

MADRID (Reuters) - A prankster pretending to be
Oscar-winning American actor Nicolas Cage fooled Real Madrid
into thinking he was the real thing and enjoyed red carpet
treatment at this week's Champions League match against AS
Roma.

The lookalike, Italian television presenter Paolo
Calabresi, watched Wednesday's game from the directors' viewing
area at the Bernabeu and was taken into the team dressing room
afterwards, Spanish sports daily Marca reported on Saturday.

He was even photographed being presented with a
personalised Real shirt by club president Ramon Calderon.

Calabresi organised the stunt by using the name of an
agency in the United States that had recently arranged a
similar meeting at the Bernabeu for another actor, Sylvester
Stallone.

Roma won the last-16, second-leg tie 2-1 to progress to the
Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate victory.

(Reporting by Mark Elkington; Editing by Sonia Oxley)