Brazil’s Willian attends a training session in Santiago, Chile, on June 23, 2015. Brazil will face Paraguay in their Copa America quarter-final match on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno
Brazil’s Willian attends a training session in Santiago, Chile, on June 23, 2015. Brazil will face Paraguay in their Copa America quarter-final match on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno
Brazil’s Willian attends a training session in Santiago, Chile, on June 23, 2015. Brazil will face Paraguay in their Copa America quarter-final match on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno
Brazil’s Willian attends a training session in Santiago, Chile, on June 23, 2015. Brazil will face Paraguay in their Copa America quarter-final match on Saturday. REUTERS/Jorge Adorno

Sport

Chelsea’s Willian says Brazil has to play with ‘joy and responsibility’ against Paraguay

Brazil are aiming to ensure history does not repeat itself when they take on Paraguay for a place in the Copa America semi-finals as the two countries meet at the quarter-final stage for the second successive time.

Press Association

June 26, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

Brazil are aiming to ensure history does not repeat itself when they take on Paraguay for a place in the Copa America semi-finals on Saturday night.

The countries are meeting at the quarter-final stage for the second successive time, and it was Paraguay who emerged victorious last time out thanks to a penalty shoot-out success in La Plata in 2011.

That result was no fluke, either. Paraguay were moments away from beating Brazil in the group stage of the same Copa America, only for Fred to net an 89th-minute equaliser for the five-time world champions.

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With those games in mind, Brazil know better than to underestimate Paraguay in Concepcion, and their playmaker Willian is putting little stock in the fact his side are considered favourites for the match. The Chelsea midfielder said: “Paraguay are a tough and competitive opponent. They fight all the time, for 90 minutes, and we know what it’s like to play against that kind of side.

“During the last Copa America, we were eliminated by them. I hope it will be different this time.

“It is always difficult to say who is going to get through. Today, football is very even. It is not easy to say ‘that team is favourite’, like it used to be. The other national squads have improved a lot. There is always a surprise.”

Willian, whose team finished top of Group C despite being beaten by Colombia in their second match and losing leading scorer Neymar to a tournament-ending suspension, added: “I hope Brazil go on.

“We have to play our own game, the way that the Selecao likes to play, with joy and responsibility. If we manage that, we will be close to knocking out this tough opponent.”

Unbeaten Paraguay secured their place in the last eight with a second-placed finish in Group B behind Argentina, picking up five points from their three games.

Despite their success against Brazil four years ago, Paraguay coach Ramon Diaz knows how difficult it will be to overcame a side who have won the Copa America in four of the past six editions.

He is not ruling out his side’s chances, either, telling Tigosports.com: “Brazil are always powerful and they proved that in the last 10 games, where they’ve lost only once.

“But this is Paraguay’s moment. We are two games away from earning a place in the history books, and that’s not something that happens every year.

“But now it is not time to think about making history. First we have to face Brazil and that is our final,” added Argentinian Diaz, who will be without the injured Miguel Samudio and Nestor Ortigoza.

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.

•   Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.

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•   Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.

•   Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.

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