Inter Milan are on a mission to repeat their treble success of 2010 when they travel to take on Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
The Nerazzurri are four points clear at the top of Serie A following Saturday's 2-2 draw against Parma – although they did let slip a two-goal advantage.
They also have a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against city rivals AC Milan to navigate later this month as Simone Inzaghi's side look to emulate Jose Mourinho's historic triumph 15 years ago.
Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez has been the most bullish about Inter's chances, the captain saying that he believes the Italians can pull off another treble.
"It's almost like we don't want to say it but yes," Martinez said last month after a 2-0 win at Atalanta. "It will be difficult but we'll go for it because we want to win every match we play."
Inter are the most recent Italian team to win the Champions League and were unfortunate to lose the 2023 final to Manchester City.
The clashes with Bayern are the key fixtures in Inter's packed April after a relatively straightforward run to the quarters in which coach Inzaghi often rotated his line-ups, with the Serie A title defence his priority in the early months of the season.
Inter have conceded only two goals in 10 games in this season's Champions League, but have been far more fallible at the back than last term.
An inability to close out matches has characterised a large number of Inter's performances this term, and their Serie A tally of 30 goals conceded is already eight more than in their charge to last season's Scudetto.
Assistant coach Massimiliano Farris said after Saturday's draw that Inter "couldn't find the mental or physical energy to contain" Parma after going two ahead, a worrying statement before a trip to face Harry Kane and company in Bavaria.
Luckily for Inter, Italy defender Alessandro Bastoni looks likely to be fit after being seen with an ice pack on his left knee at Parma, but the continued absence of Denzel Dumfries at right wing-back is a problem with Bayern's power on the flanks.
Inter's chances are helped by a Bayern injury crisis which has come just as Vincent Kompany's team close in on reclaiming the Bundesliga, with an eye on the Champions League final which is being staged at their Allianz Arena home.
Bayern injury crisis
Germany star Jamal Musiala is the latest Bayern player to be ruled out of the tie with a hamstring tear which looks to have ended his season.
Musiala joins defenders Alphonso Davies, Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito in likely being on the sidelines until the end of the current campaign, while goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, winger Kingsley Coman and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic have unclear timelines for their returns from injury.
Bayern have only two centre-backs available: Kim Min-jae, who has been nursing an Achilles injury, and Eric Dier.
Bayern veteran Thomas Muller, who on Saturday announced he is leaving the club at the end of the season despite wanting to stay, said he was focused on reaching the Champions League in his last weeks at the club.
In the midst of another stellar season, striker Harry Kane has also made clear his designs on the biggest team trophy of all.
Kane comes into Tuesday's game fit and in fine form, particularly in Europe. He was Bayern's best player in their last-16 tie against Bayer Leverkusen, scoring three goals and laying on an assist while constantly menacing defenders with his physicality.
Only Barcelona's Raphinha, with 11, has more than Kane's 10 goals in the Champions League this season.
Speaking after scoring in Bayern's 3-1 win at Augsburg on Friday, Kane said Bayern's injury woes could galvanise the side and that Kompany had anticipated such a crisis.
"From the first day the manager came in, he spoke about needing the squad and using everyone. We have a really big week coming up, so rotation will be key," Kane said.
"Some players will have to play every minute, some players will have to make an impact off the bench, and we just have to keep focused on what we can do.
"We're in a good place, we have good momentum, and we need to take that into the game on Tuesday."
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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"
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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.”
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Book%20Details
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