• Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has found defending the Premier League trophy too much to ask this season, was some dismal form at home. However, they eased through to the last eight of the Champions League with a 4-0 aggregate win against Germans RB Leipzig. Reuters
    Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has found defending the Premier League trophy too much to ask this season, was some dismal form at home. However, they eased through to the last eight of the Champions League with a 4-0 aggregate win against Germans RB Leipzig. Reuters
  • Sadio Mane has been one of the Liverpool stars in Europe, and netted in the 2-0 round of 16 second leg win against RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena stadium in Budapest, Hungary. AP
    Sadio Mane has been one of the Liverpool stars in Europe, and netted in the 2-0 round of 16 second leg win against RB Leipzig at the Puskas Arena stadium in Budapest, Hungary. AP
  • Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane has seen his side reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in three seasons with a clinical 3-1 second-leg performance against Atalanta, and a 4-1 aggregate. AFP
    Real Madrid's French coach Zinedine Zidane has seen his side reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in three seasons with a clinical 3-1 second-leg performance against Atalanta, and a 4-1 aggregate. AFP
  • Real's Karim Benzema scored their first goal against Atalanta at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on their way to the Champions League last eight. Getty
    Real's Karim Benzema scored their first goal against Atalanta at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on their way to the Champions League last eight. Getty
  • Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has masterminded an amazing season for the club. After beating Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League round of 16, they are still pursuing four trophies. PA
    Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has masterminded an amazing season for the club. After beating Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League round of 16, they are still pursuing four trophies. PA
  • Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has been another key player this season, and netted against Borussia Monchengladbach in their last 16 tie and 4-0 aggregate win. AFP
    Manchester City's Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has been another key player this season, and netted against Borussia Monchengladbach in their last 16 tie and 4-0 aggregate win. AFP
  • Borussia Dortmund has ensured a fine run of results in the Champions League, with his side edging out Sevilla 5-4 on aggregate in the round of 16. AFP
    Borussia Dortmund has ensured a fine run of results in the Champions League, with his side edging out Sevilla 5-4 on aggregate in the round of 16. AFP
  • Days after scoring his 100th career goal aged 20 years 228 days, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland became the fastest player to 20 Champions League goals following a brace against Sevilla in the Champions League last-16 second leg. AP
    Days after scoring his 100th career goal aged 20 years 228 days, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland became the fastest player to 20 Champions League goals following a brace against Sevilla in the Champions League last-16 second leg. AP
  • Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino will be delighted with his side's form since taking over at the start of January. His best achievement so far was the 5-2 aggregate destruction of Barcelona in the round of 16, including a 4-1 win at Camp Nou. AFP
    Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino will be delighted with his side's form since taking over at the start of January. His best achievement so far was the 5-2 aggregate destruction of Barcelona in the round of 16, including a 4-1 win at Camp Nou. AFP
  • Key player for PSG is French forward Kylian Mbappe, who netted from the penalty sport in the 1-1 second leg draw with Barca. AFP
    Key player for PSG is French forward Kylian Mbappe, who netted from the penalty sport in the 1-1 second leg draw with Barca. AFP
  • Porto are possibly the outsiders of the remaining eight teams, though manager Sergio Conceicao has done a fine job in getting them so far in the competition, particularly getting past Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus in the round of 16, going through on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw. Getty
    Porto are possibly the outsiders of the remaining eight teams, though manager Sergio Conceicao has done a fine job in getting them so far in the competition, particularly getting past Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus in the round of 16, going through on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate draw. Getty
  • Porto's Sergio Oliveira celebrates, with Luis Diaz (right), after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League, round of 16 2-3 defeat at Juve. That goal was enough to get them through on aggregate. PA
    Porto's Sergio Oliveira celebrates, with Luis Diaz (right), after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League, round of 16 2-3 defeat at Juve. That goal was enough to get them through on aggregate. PA
  • Bayern Munich are the holders and the favourites to retain the trophy, under the expert guidance of manager Hansi Flick. They were comfortable 6-2 aggregate winners over Lazio in the round of 16, and will be the team to avoid in Friday's draw. Getty
    Bayern Munich are the holders and the favourites to retain the trophy, under the expert guidance of manager Hansi Flick. They were comfortable 6-2 aggregate winners over Lazio in the round of 16, and will be the team to avoid in Friday's draw. Getty
  • Bayern Munich's remarkable Polish forward Robert Lewandowski scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot against Lazio as Bayern qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the 19th time - the most of any team in the competition's history. AFP
    Bayern Munich's remarkable Polish forward Robert Lewandowski scoring the opening goal from the penalty spot against Lazio as Bayern qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the 19th time - the most of any team in the competition's history. AFP
  • Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel saw his side reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in seven years with a 3-0 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid. Tuchel has been in charge for 13 games - and no defeats. AFP
    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel saw his side reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in seven years with a 3-0 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid. Tuchel has been in charge for 13 games - and no defeats. AFP
  • Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech opened the scoring against Atletico Madrid, his first home goal in 12 appearances at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea. PA
    Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech opened the scoring against Atletico Madrid, his first home goal in 12 appearances at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea. PA

Champions League quarter-finals: draw details, key players and how each team got there


  • English
  • Arabic

Chelsea and Bayern Munich secured the last remaining two Champions League quarter-final places on Wednesday, completing a stunning line-up for the remainder of Europe's elite club competition.

The draw for the next round takes place on Friday at 3pm in Nyon, Switzerland, and here are the remaining contenders, their pedigree in the European Cup, and how they reached the last eight this season.

Liverpool

Group stage: Group D winners

Last-16 result: 4-0 versus RB Leipzig (A: 2-0, H: 2-0)

European Cup best: Winners - 6 (1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005, 2019)

Despite inconsistent domestic form which has scuppered the defence of their Premier League title, Jurgen Klopp's side have been lifted by the solid displays in seeing off RB Leipzig 2-0 in each leg to book a quarter-final place. After the then holders were knocked out by Atletico Madrid in the last 16 a year ago, the Reds are hungry for another crack at a seventh European triumph.

Real Madrid

Group stage: Group B winners

Last 16 result: 4-1 versus Atalanta (A: 0-1, H: 3-1)

European Cup best: Winners - 13 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Real Madrid swept past Atalanta to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in three seasons. Los Blancos may not be the force they once were, but Zinedine Zidane's squad have hit a decent run of form, unbeaten since the start of February, and remain one to avoid in the draw.

Manchester City

Group stage: Group C winners

Last 16 result: 4-0 versus Borussia Monchengladbach (A: 2-0, H: 2-0)

European Cup best: Semi-finals (2016)

Manchester City cruised into the last eight for the fourth year in a row after comfortably dispatching Borussia Monchengladbach. For all their domestic prowess, sitting 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League, boss Pep Guardiola knows European glory remains top of the agenda as his free-scoring side chase a potential unprecedented quadruple. Last season's disappointment of being knocked out by Lyon in a one-legged quarter-final will only fuel the desire to set the record straight.

Borussia Dortmund

Group stage: Group F winners

Last 16 result: 5-4 versus Sevilla (A: 3-2, H: 2-2)

European Cup best: Winners (1997)

Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland is this season's Champions League top scorer with 10 goals. However, despite a formidable forward line, the Bundesliga side still look a bit vulnerable at the back, and conceded twice in both legs against Sevilla. As exciting a ride as it has been, facing one of Europe's heavyweights in the last eight could prove a stage too far for Edin Terzic's squad - who are hoping England winger Jadon Sancho can recover from an ankle injury in time for the quarter-finals in April.

Paris Saint-Germain

Group stage: Group H winners

Last 16 result: 5-2 versus Barcelona (A: 4-1, H: 1-1)

European Cup best: Runners-up (2020)

Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick helped the French side dispatch Barcelona in the last 16 following a superb 4-1 first leg win. Mauricio Pochettino is looking to progress the squad which finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in last season's truncated tournament finale. While they may be playing catch-up behind Lyon in Ligue 1, PSG remain a threat to any side pulled out of the draw on Friday.

Porto

Group stage: Group C runners-up

Last 16 result: 4-4 versus Juventus, won on away goals (H: 2-1, A: 2-3 aet)

European Cup best: Winners - 2 (1987, 2004)

Built around the midfield industry of Jesus Corona, Porto are the dark horses of the last eight, having shocked Juventus in the last 16 with a dramatic 3-2 victory after extra-time to progress on away goals over Cristiano Ronaldo's star-studded side. Domestically, Porto trail Sporting Lisbon by 10 points, but will fancy their chances of further progress in Europe no matter the opposition.

Bayern Munich

Group stage: Group A winners

Last 16 result: 6-2 versus Lazio (A: 1-4, H: 2-1)

European Cup best: Winners (holders) - 6 (1974, 1975, 1976, 2001, 2013, 2020)

Holders Bayern had all but made sure of their quarter-final place with a 4-1 win in the away leg against Lazio and completed the job on Wednesday night at the Allianz Arena. The Bundesliga leaders will fear no-one as they aim to march on towards the final in Istanbul and, with prolific Poland striker Robert Lewandowski in top form, they will take some stopping along the way.

Chelsea

Group stage: Group E winners

Last 16 result: 3-0 versus Atletico Madrid (A: 0-1, H: 2-0)

European Cup best: Winners (2012)

Olivier Giroud's goal had given the Blues a slender 1-0 lead to protect at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night before a 2-0 victory sent them through. New boss Thomas Tuchel has found a winning formula both at home and in Europe, with Chelsea now very much in the mix for a top-four Premier League finish again. Unbeaten through 14 games in all competitions, the Blues look set for another strong finish to the campaign.

Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)

2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)

2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)

2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)

 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.

2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.

• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases -  but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia

Three Penalties

v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)

v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)

v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)

Four Corners

v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)

v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)

v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)

v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)

One Free-Kick

v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)

Specs

Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Her most famous song

Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?

Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.

Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab

Empty Words

By Mario Levrero  

(Coffee House Press)
 

WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. 

INVESTMENT PLEDGES

Cartlow: $13.4m

Rabbitmart: $14m

Smileneo: $5.8m

Soum: $4m

imVentures: $100m

Plug and Play: $25m

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

ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon

For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

SECRET%20INVASION
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ali%20Selim%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Samuel%20L%20Jackson%2C%20Olivia%20Coleman%2C%20Kingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Emilia%20Clarke%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8

Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm

Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km

Price: Dh380,000

On sale: now 

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT

Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: 
Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)    

MATCH INFO

Azerbaijan 0

Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')