Asia will crown first-time winners of its elite AFC Champions League competition on Saturday when Saudi Arabia's Al Ahli take on Japan's Kawasaki Frontale.
With the final rounds of this season's competition all being played in Jeddah, Al Ahli can expect a significant home advantage, roared on by thousands of screaming fans at their King Abdullah Sports City stadium.
While the expected final between Al Hilal and Al Nassr never materialised, it will nonetheless be a showpiece occasion where history is made.
And it might not be the only piece written.
Of those lining up to play Saturday's final, two Al Ahli players also stand on the brink of writing their own names into football lore.
Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez could become the first players to win both the European and Asian versions of the Champions League.
Firmino, who set Ahli on their way to a 3-0 victory over Al Hilal in their semi-final win in midweek, collected a Uefa Champions League medal as part of Liverpool's team that beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the 2019 European Cup final.
As part of a star-studded front three alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, Firmino was the focal point for Jurgen Klopp's attack-minded side that also win the Premier League title a year later.
After eight trophy-filled years at Anfield in which his 82 Premier League goals marked him down as the highest scoring Brazilian in the division's history, Firmino joined Al Ahli on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, signing a three-year contract.
Mahrez, meanwhile, was part of Manchester City's all-conquering squad of 2023 when Pep Guardiola's side beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the Uefa Champions League final. City would also win the Premier League and FA Cup that season to complete the treble.
The Algerian winger, who was an integral part to Leicester City's fairytale title triumph in 2016, also joined Jeddah giants Al Ahli in 2023 for a transfer fee of £30 million.
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
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Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
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