PARIS // Veteran Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu is optimistic his side can expose France’s defensive woes to surprise the hosts in today’s Euro 2016 opening match.
Injuries to Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane and Barcelona’s Jeremy Mathieu have depleted a French backline already shorn of Mamadou Sakho due to a provisional Uefa ban for doping.
However, Iordanescu is wary of the array of quality attacking talent available to French coach Didier Deschamps.
“France are a very attacking unit,” said Iordanescu, who is in his third spell as Romania coach, yesterday. “I think France have some terrifically talented players, all with top sides in the Champions League and it is a side worth hundreds of millions of euros.
“That said, France do have some shortcomings at the back.”
• TV schedule: How to watch Euro 2016 in the UAE
Deschamps’s men are one of the favourites to repeat the feats of the 1984 Euros and 1998 World Cup French teams by winning the tournament on home soil.
And Iordanescu expects a fast start from the hosts once the action gets underway after a long build-up dominated by terrorism worries and the sex-tape blackmail scandal that saw Real Madrid star Karim Benzema left out the French squad.
“I believe France have lost only one of their last 10 matches,” Iordanescu said. “Given the ability of their players I think France are one of the favourites for this tournament.
“I expect France to begin the match in an aggressive fashion. I’m sure my players are ready and determined to overcome these spells of pressure and domination from the opposition we are likely to face.”
The opening game of the month-long tournament, extended to 24-teams for the first time, will be played at the Stade de France in Paris.
The stadium was one of several targets in the terrorist attacks which killed 130 people in the French capital November 13 last year.
A massive security operation has been launched with up to 90,000 police and private guards set to protect the teams, media and hundreds of thousands of fans set to travel to France to attend matches.
Germany defender Jerome Boateng said on Wednesday that his family would not be attending the tournament due to security concerns.
However, Romanian captain Vlad Chiriches said he was satisfied the security measures in place would guarantee a peaceful tournament.
“I think the authorities have taken the right security measures,” said the Napoli defender. “We feel safe and we hope these security measures work throughout the tournament.”
Gareth Bale insists Wales are no one-man team
Gareth Bale has insisted Wales are not a one-man band at Euro 2016.
Real Madrid striker Bale scored seven of Wales’ 11 goals in qualifying for France, as well as claiming two assists, as the nation ended a 58-year wait for a major tournament.
But the world’s most expensive player shunned the one-man team label as he addressed the media ahead of Wales’ tournament opener against Slovakia on Saturday.
“It’s never a one-man team, for us it’s a squad thing,” he said. “We’re together stronger and it’s there for a reason – we don’t just say it for no reason.
“We all work hard as one unit, we attack as one and we defend as one. When we lose the ball we all fight back to get it.
“People can write what they want, but we all know that we work very hard on the training pitch every day.”
• Predictions: Winners, flops, top scorer and player of the tournament
Bale carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, but he says he is unconcerned by the weight of expectation.
Neither is he bothered by the possibility that he could be a marked man at the tournament, and Bale, 26, has no interest in calling for greater protection from referees.
“I just want to go out and play football, to enjoy myself on the football pitch,” said Bale. “We all get on so well, we are like brothers.
“We are all friends and we joke around and play together.
“But when it comes down to serious business we fight for each other.
“We have fun at the same time. We want to enjoy it and when you enjoy your football you play your best.
“Obviously you’d like to think you’ll get protection but all referees are different. You hope that they referee the game fairly, that’s all you can ask for really.”
England goalkeeper joe Hart keen to forget past failures
Goalkeeper Joe Hart is keen to forget England’s failures at previous major tournaments and put his trust in the new young squad at the European Championship in France this month.
A fine qualifying campaign and warm-up victories over Turkey, Australia and Portugal have raised hopes that Roy Hodgson’s charges might win a first major trophy since England’s World Cup triumph 50 years ago.
Hart has played in three big tournaments for England so far but has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals.
“I’ve gone into every tournament confident and felt like we’ve been ready. So for me to say it’s different this time would be wrong,” Hart told reporters on Thursday.
“But they’ve gone, they are the past, this is a new one, a new set of players – the majority – and we’re fresh and ready and we’re going to give it all we’ve got.”
• The Shapers series: Each of the six parts highlighting who we think will leave the largest marks on Euro 2016
Hart said England had no excuse if they failed to live up to expectations at Euro 2016 as they have been given all the necessary resources to excel in France.
“We’ve certainly got all the backing we need. Everything that needs to be put in place has been put in place. It’s now down to us to perform on the pitch,” the 29-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper said.
“It’s exciting, fresh, there are a lot of youngsters so they are going to be more comfortable than maybe other teams. There’s a good bond right the way through.”
England kick off their campaign in Group B against Russia on Saturday before facing Wales and Slovakia.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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.”
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Last five meetings
2013: South Korea 0-2 Brazil
2002: South Korea 2-3 Brazil
1999: South Korea 1-0 Brazil
1997: South Korea 1-2 Brazil
1995: South Korea 0-1 Brazil
Note: All friendlies
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Result
Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2
Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
South Africa's T20 squad
Duminy (c), Behardien, Dala, De Villiers, Hendricks, Jonker, Klaasen (wkt), Miller, Morris, Paterson, Phangiso, Phehlukwayo, Shamsi, Smuts.
