Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice declared the club is on course for “special things” after a 2-1 win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory and a place in the Uefa Champions League semi-finals.
Rice, who was named man of the match, played a central role as goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli capped a dominant display in the Spanish capital. The result sends the Gunners into their first Champions League semi-final since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
“It’s such a special night for this club,” Rice told TNT Sports. “It’s a historic night. There was a lot of talk coming here about them coming back because they’ve done it so many times before. But we had so much belief and confidence from that first leg that we could come here and win.”
The England international, who joined from West Ham in a £105 million move last summer, scored two free kicks in the first leg that set Arsenal on course to eliminate the defending European champions.
“There’s something special happening here. This club is going to do special things in the coming years,” Rice added. “We all fully believe in it, we have full trust in this manager – he’s unbelievable.”
Arsenal survived an early scare when Rice was penalised for a foul on Kylian Mbappe in the box, but the decision was overturned after a lengthy VAR check, and a yellow card that would have ruled him out of the semi-final first leg was rescinded.
“I knew it wasn’t a penalty,” said Rice. “He just fell to the floor.”
Ancelotti accepts he may be replaced
Carlo Ancelotti accepted Real Madrid may look to replace him as coach after Arsenal knocked out the Champions League holders.
The Italian could only watch disconsolately as Arsenal progressed to the last four 5-1 on aggregate.
Real Madrid suffered their 12th defeat of the season, by contrast to just two across the whole of the previous campaign.
"It could be that the club decide to change [coach], it could be this year – or the next when my contract expires, there's no problem," Ancelotti told reporters.
"The day that I leave here I can only thank the club.
"It could be tomorrow, in 10 days, in a month or a year, but all I can do will be to thank the club – if my contract's up or not, I don't care."
Madrid have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who played for Los Blancos, and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Ancelotti said his team were still in the fight for La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup this summer.
"The team gave everything in terms of attitude, but we weren't able to do it," said Ancelotti after the Arsenal defeat.
"To be honest Arsenal defended very well, we found it hard to find space, in terms of intensity we were better but it was not enough."
Inter remain on course for treble
In Milan, Benjamin Pavard’s second-half header helped Inter Milan book their place in the last four with a 4-3 aggregate victory over Bayern Munich. The France international powered in the decisive goal in the 61st minute at a rain-soaked San Siro to eliminate the German champions.
“We’re not putting any limits on how far we can go,” said Pavard. “We have a great squad with really good players and a great staff. There’s no limit – we want to win and we want to go through.”
Inter will now face Barcelona in the sem-ifinals as they chase a historic treble, with Simone Inzaghi’s side also leading Serie A and still in contention in the Coppa Italia.
France forward Marcus Thuram admitted the team had emptied the tank in a high-intensity contest. “We’re all a bit dead,” he said. “It was a tough night, but we did what we had to do.”
For Bayern, the defeat ends hopes of a Champions League final on home soil in Munich.
“I gave everything, we gave everything,” said veteran forward Thomas Muller. “We played against the best team in Italy. The fans saw we fought and showed a lot of energy. It’s a pity for us because the final was in Munich, but the Champions League is not a picnic.”
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
7.05pm Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm Underwriter
7.05pm Rayig
7.40pm Torno Subito
8.15pm Talento Puma
8.50pm Etisalat
9.25pm Gundogdu
SQUADS
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The specs: 2018 Ford F-150
Price, base / as tested: Dh173,250 / Dh178,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 395hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 555Nm @ 2,750rpm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Bob%20Marley%3A%20One%20Love
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Reinaldo%20Marcus%20Green%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EKingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20James%20Norton%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A02%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
The years Ramadan fell in May
