Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived in the UAE with his Al Nassr teammates, aiming to push the Saudi Pro League side closer to the Asian Champions League title.
Ronaldo returns from a one-match suspension and a fine for making what was deemed an offensive gesture at the end of his side’s 3-2 SPL win at Al Shabab. He is now tasked with leading the charge for Al Nassr in the ACL quarter-final clash with UAE side Al Ain on Monday.
The punishment meant that Ronaldo watched from the sidelines during Thursday’s league game as Al Nassr took the lead four times but ended with a 4-4 draw at home to bottom team Al Hazm. The result left the club in second in the league and nine points behind leaders Al Hilal.
“Ronaldo strengthens the team and ensures that the opponent respects you more but his absence had nothing to do with the result,” said Nassr coach Luis Castro. “The fact is that we are conceding too many goals and the problem is not organisational but due to individual mistakes.”
“The league result will not affect our game in the Asian Champions League as we will be fully focused on that.”
Ronaldo was instrumental in guiding Nassr to the quarter-final stage. The Portuguese star struck the second goal in Nassr’s 2-0 home victory against fellow Saudi side Al Fayha in the round of 16 clash.
Compatriot Otavio opened the scoring at Al Awwal Park on 17 minutes, with Ronaldo making the most of a goalkeeping mistake four minutes from time to secure the result.
Nassr, semi-finalists in their past two Champions League appearances, advanced 3-0 on aggregate. Ronaldo had scored the only goal in the first leg at Fayha as well.
The continental competition offers Nassr the best chance of silverware this season and the team made a short trip to take on Al Ain, winners in 2003, in the first leg of the quarter-final.
Al Ain booked their place in the quarter-finals following a dramatic stoppage-time win at home against Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi.
After the first leg ended goalless, Al Ain went 1-0 down at the beginning of the second half of their clash at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium before striker Kodjo Laba levelled four minutes later.
The 2003 champions, the only Emirati club to lift the Champions League, grabbed victory two minutes into injury time when playmaker Sofiane Rahimi dispatched expertly inside the Nasaf penalty area.
The action does not stop there. Tuesday sees an all-Saudi Arabia clash as serial winners Al Hilal face Al Ittihad, champions in 2004 and 2005.
Brazilian star Neymar is still missing for Al Hilal while Al Ittihad are waiting to see if star striker Karim Benzema recovers from a muscle injury.
The two teams clashed in the league on Friday. Former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante put Ittihad ahead but Al Hilal came back to win 3-1 to record a 25th straight win in all competitions.
“The players are playing with great confidence,” said Hilal coach Jorge Jesus. “This is a good thing because we are facing important matches in a short period, starting with the Asian Champions League and a tough game against Al Ittihad and we will have to be at our best.”
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
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.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
