Daunting though they look whenever Real Madrid take their roadshow to the world, this just might be a good moment to startle the European champions.
Al Ahly meet them in North Africa for a place in the Fifa Club World Cup final encouraged that key players from the spine of the Madrid team are absent, their form is erratic and head coach Carlo Ancelotti seems on edge.
Ancelotti addressed the media in Rabat on Tuesday robustly protecting Vinicius Junior, the Brazilian winger who has been subjected to brutal attention on the pitch and vile chants and gestures off it in a new year that has not been kind to Madrid in terms of results.
“He’s the victim of things I don’t understand,” said Ancelotti, “yet it sometimes appears Vinicius is made out to be the problem. The problem is what’s happening around him.”
That would include sustained fouling by opponents, taunts and racist abuse from spectators, as shown by television footage during the weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Real Mallorca.
Ancelotti hopes a trophy, the Club World Cup, might alleviate on-field concerns, although he continues to bemoan a calendar without respite for a club who have dropped points in three of their last five Liga matches and last month lost a Super Cup final to Barcelona.
While Ancelotti says he sees “signs the team is growing,” he acknowledges his Madrid take on a “well-organised and fast” Al Ahly at well below their best.
Missing at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in the Moroccan capital will be the two players who more than any guided Madrid to the European Cup last May in an extraordinary run of comebacks.
Ballon D’Or holder Karim Benzema, with a muscle strain, will not be available to re-enact the hat-tricks he scored against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea last spring or indeed the three goals he put past Manchester City across two dramatic legs of the semi-final.
Mallorca 1 Real Madrid 0 - in pictures
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, outstanding in the final against Liverpool, is also out. Courtois pulled up during the warm-up at Mallorca and will be replaced by back-up gloveman Andriy Lunin. Defenders Eder Miltao and Ferland Mendy are still recuperating from injury in Spain.
A small wonder is that Vinicius, who scored the goal that delivered Madrid’s 14th European Cup in Paris, is not among the wounded.
He continues to set the high bar as the most fouled footballer in Europe’s major domestic leagues and at the weekend increased his lead in that unwanted table of the battered and bruised through the rugged attention of Mallorca markers.
Some tried to provoke him off the ball. Not for the first time this season, Vinicius was abused from the grandstands. “It’s a problem for Spanish football and it has to be resolved,” said Ancelotti.
Ancelotti hopes one or two of the injured, notably Benzema, may be fit enough to join Madrid in Morocco should they overcome Al Ahly.
It is almost a given that the European candidate in a Club World Cup makes the final – the last time the trophy did not go to Europe was after Corinthians beat Chelsea in 2012 – and for all that Madrid have half an eye on forthcoming ties against Liverpool in the Champions League and Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, winning the Fifa tournament is a prestigious priority.
They make a habit of it, most recently by beating Al Ain in the 2018 final.
That was 24-year-old midfielder Fede Valverde’s first trophy with Madrid.
“It means a lot to me,” Valverde said, while analysing the challenges of what he calls “the new football – games every two or three days and less time off”.
When Madrid take the field tonight, 24 days after losing the Super Cup in Riyadh, they will be taking part in a fourth different competition on a third continent since mid-January.
Ancelotti expects to be made very aware of what continent he is on this evening.
“Al Ahly have a fantastic history in Africa,” said the Italian of the 10-times African champions. “We have tremendous respect for them and what the Club World Cup means for them.”
At the last two editions, and in 2006, it meant third place. The Egyptians, in Morocco as runners-up to Casablanca’s Wydad Athletic Club in the last African Champions League and victors so far against Auckland City and Seattle Sounders, aspire to going one better.
Inevitably, there will be an emphasis on containing Vinicius.
“We’ve got to avoid him winning the one-on-ones,” said Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller, “but we’re not going to just sit back and wait.”
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20profile
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
All%20We%20Imagine%20as%20Light
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
