As much as Manchester City fans have come to love May, the traditional time for dishing out domestic trophies in England, the month of November also has a place fixed in their hearts.
Not only is it the time of the year when the reigning Premier League champions nearly always shift into overdrive on the pitch, it is also now the month Pep Guardiola chooses to deliver news on his future.
There will come a time, of course, when he tells supporters what they don’t want to hear.
But, for the third time since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium, he has quickened their pulses in November with an announcement that he is to stay beyond this season with a new two-year deal until 2027.
Guardiola staying to complete a decade and more in charge of City in a bid to add to the 18 major trophies he’s already won is a decision that has elicited relief and joy in equal measure.
Crucially, he will be the man calling the shots as the first-team squad undergoes a necessary overhaul across the next three or four transfer windows, and at the same time, he will be the public face of the club when the independent hearing delivers its verdict on the 115 charges brought by the Premier League.
City’s senior management were always confident that Guardiola would not jump ship when they needed him most. There had been a feeling, first expressed privately last June, that he would see out at least a decade in charge.
However, owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and club chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak have not exerted any pressure on the Catalan maestro as he grappled with the alternatives of a year off, or a move into international management with England and Brazil reported to be among those keen to make use of his extraordinary skills.
Conversations were had in Abu Dhabi earlier this season but no deadline for a decision was set. There is complete trust, respect and admiration between the three key men, each grateful to the other for playing such a major role in City’s recent domination of the Premier League.
In signing for another two years, 53-year-old Guardiola becomes only the fourth manager in City history to reach double figures in terms of years in charge.
Wilf Wild still leads the way with 14 years (1932-46), Les McDowall managed for 13 years (1950-63), and Ernest Magnall for a dozen seasons (1912-24).
As he approaches 500 games in charge, Guardiola has already surpassed everyone but McDowall who oversaw 590 matches.
The Catalan’s scarcely believable 72 per cent win percentage over more than nine seasons, eclipses every other City manager who has completed a whole year or more and his trophy haul of 18 is a huge 13 more than Joe Mercer, the man in second place.
While Guardiola has won four Premier League titles in succession – a unique historical feat – and brought City a domestic treble, 100 points in a season, a first ever Uefa Champions League crown and a Fifa Club World Cup, he is entering what promises to be the toughest 18 months since his first year in charge.
Not only are City lagging behind Liverpool at the Premier League summit but they lost their last European outing 4-1 in Portugal to Sporting Lisbon and are operating with an injury-depleted and ageing first-team pool.
In addition, Guardiola will soon be without the day-to-day counsel of his long time friend and Director of Football Txiki Begiritstain, who has decided to step down from his role at the end of the season and will be replaced by Hugo Viana from the aforementioned Sporting Lisbon.
Crucial decisions are coming at Guardiola thick and fast. He will have to deliver verdicts on the futures of long-time collaborators Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Ederson and Ilkay Gundogan.
The fact that he is staying may crystalise the thinking of some or all of those players, and should deliver an immediate boost after weeks of constant speculation and loss of form.
Begiristain’s decision to depart for an extended rest and then a new challenge didn’t impact on Guardiola’s own choice to stay, as he had known for two years that his former Barcelona colleague was leaving.
Of course, Guardiola is now much nearer the end of his reign at City than the beginning, and he won’t get close to the 20-year plus stints of Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, but he is still a relatively young man in managerial terms and will undoubtedly coach again after City.
Such are the long hours that he works and the intensity that he brings to the job of winning and improving players, that he is likely to want a rest when he departs the Etihad – as he did after leaving Bayern Munich.
Managing City to amazing heights has not only taken a mental toll on Guardiola but has exerted a physical one, too. He has been battling a painful back issue for the past couple of years but ultimately decided the buzz he gets from winning and from pitting his wits against the new breed of Premier League bosses was just too big a lure.
His decision was never about financial reward or just about him – it never is. Guardiola asked himself if he could bring more success to City and at the same time remain content in his work and home life. The affirmative answers came after some soul searching and lengthy discussions with his wife, Cristina, and family.
Now the hard work begins again with a visit from Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday and then a vital home Champions League game against Feyenoord on Tuesday evening.
Guardiola is sure of a hero’s reception on Saturday at a packed stadium where only last month the 1894 fan organisation raised £1,000 in 24 hours to create a banner that read ‘Pep Guardiola, we want you to stay’ in his native Catalan.
He told those fans that he’d been in love since the first day he arrived at the club, it seems that love is not yet ready to die.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E680hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E800Nm%20at%202%2C750-6%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERear-mounted%20eight-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E13.6L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Orderbook%20open%3B%20deliveries%20start%20end%20of%20year%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh970%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Zayed Sustainability Prize
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Dunki
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rajkumar%20Hirani%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Taapsee%20Pannu%2C%20Vikram%20Kochhar%20and%20Anil%20Grover%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Under-21 European Championship Final
Germany 1 Spain 0
Weiser (40')
Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html" charset="UTF-8" /></head><body><!--PSTYLE=* Labels%3aFH Label 18 Sport--><p>Beach soccer</p><!--PSTYLE=BY Byline--><p>Amith Passela</p><p /></body></html>
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
