Zoran Mamic hopes Al Ain seize the opportunity to “write history” in their Fifa Club World Cup semi-final against River Plate – although he concedes his side have never faced a stronger opponent than they will on Tuesday.
The UAE champions, making their debut at the tournament, take on the recently anointed Copa Libertadores winners at their Hazza bin Zayed Stadium with a place in the final, and a possible showdown with Real Madrid, on offer.
Al Ain have been made to work to reach this point, having come through last Wednesday's dramatic penalty-shootout victory against New Zealand's Team Wellington before putting to the sword African champions Esperance de Tunis on Saturday.
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More from Fifa Club World Cup:
John McAuley: How Al Ain can stun River Plate to reach the final
Gallery: Real Madrid arrive in Abu Dhabi ahead of challenge for fourth title
Paul Radley: Al Ain aim to keep the Club World Cup party going against River Plate
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Mamic's men rebounded from 3-0 down to defeat Wellington, a semi-professional side, but were excellent against Esperance to run out convincing 3-0 winners.
Now, though, they face a refreshed River side who have not played since sealing the Libertadores crown on December 9.
“It’s an opportunity for Al Ain to write history,” Mamic said on Monday. “Until now, we’ve played a good tournament, but we want to show more. Of course we have to respect our opposition: a great club, a great team with lots of quality.
“It will be very hard for us, more difficult than ever. I don’t think Al Ain have played against a stronger team than River Plate in official games. We have to use this chance, this possibility to learn, to enjoy, to celebrate. We don’t have to do anything differently – we just have to score more goals than River.”
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Al Ain's win over Esperance de Tunis in pictures
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Mamic could welcome back Mohammed Abdulrahman to the team after the midfielder sat out the Esperance match having been sent off in the opener. The Croatian manager hopes, too, that lead striker Marcus Berg will be fit to start following a virus that has affected much of the squad.
Understandably, Mamic called on his players to be more aggressive and more focused than ever, especially in defence given River’s strength is their attack. The Argentines booked their place in the Club World Cup by defeating arch-rivals Boca Juniors 5-3 on aggregate.
Most importantly, though, Mamic urged his players to grasp the moment.
“Al Ain is a great club, great history in this part of the world, but on the world map Al Ain is not so known like River Plate or Real Madrid or whoever,” he said.
“That’s why like I said many times: we have to take this tournament as a bonus, a privilege to be part of it, to learn.
“But you can learn when you enjoy, when you are happy, when you are satisfied. This is the only way we can make history or maybe some spectacular things. Because if we go into the games with the pressure and have too much intensity, then you cannot make a great performance.
“I say to the players before they go out: ‘please, put your head up, be proud of what you do, enjoy and try to do your best’. This is the way we can make great things.”
Should Al Ain cause an upset on Tuesday, they will become the first Emirati club to reach the Club World Cup final. That takes place on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.
“The teams are both human, 11 against 11, and they have to prove on the field that they are better,” Mamic said.
“We will fight against them with all the weapons we have: cleverness, spirit, energy, all things that count in football and in the end if they win we will say ‘you were better’. And if we win we will be happier. We will see what will happen.”
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
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Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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.”
The years Ramadan fell in May
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
