New Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman faces a series of decisions over his squad as he takes over the reins from predecessor Quique Setien.
With some of the club's biggest names nearing the twilight of their careers, Koeman must decide how much needs overhauling at the Nou Camp, where president Josep Maria Bartomeu has insisted star man Lionel Messi remains a key part of the plan.
Koeman warned that any players who lack commitment or professionalism will be shown the door as he vowed to lead the team back to glory after last week's 8-2 humiliation in the Champions League by Bayern Munich.
"What we need to do is give a different image to what we gave against Bayern, that's not the Barca we or the fans want to see," Koeman said after signing a two-year deal with Barca.
"You have to be very happy wear the Barca shirt. You have to show that with commitment, professionalism, with everything you have inside. If we do that, the image will be totally different to what it was last week.
"We're going to work very hard to build a strong team but we'll have to make changes because the image of the other day is not what we want. We'll have to work hard to recover our prestige.
"It's a big challenge and it won't be easy because Barca always demands the best of you, which is the way it should be.
"Barca are still the biggest club in the world. Now we have to work hard to make sure Barca gets back to where they should be. There is enough quality in the team to demand the best results and to win trophies."
Koeman did not reveal which players he would seek to move on from the club, although he made it clear he only wanted to work with those who were fully committed.
"I don't want to mention names, we have to look in the club's best interests and make the best squad possible to try and win games," he said.
So there are some big decisions to be made. And here are some of them.
Luis Suarez
Uruguay international Suarez remains a potent weapon in the Barca armoury having scored 21 goals last season to take his tally for the club to 198 since his £75million (Dh arrival from Liverpool in July 2014.
However, he will celebrate his 34th birthday in January and the ravages of time will eventually start to take their toll on a man who has toiled tirelessly at the business end since he was a teenager.
Gerard Pique
In a frank assessment of Barca's 8-2 Champions League quarter-final drubbing at the hands of Bayern Munich, central defender Pique admitted that heads would have to roll and that his could be one of them.
He has spent the last 12 years at the Nou Camp following his return to his boyhood club from Manchester United, but he too will celebrate his 34th birthday early next year and will know that the end of his distinguished Barca career, which has yielded 20 trophies, is approaching sooner rather than later.
Sergio Busquets
One-club man Busquets established himself at Barca as a member of a famous midfield triumvirate along with Xavi and Andres Iniesta which was the envy of Europe. However, time eventually caught up with even the great Xavi and Iniesta and 32-year-old Busquets, who has almost 500 appearances to his name, will at some point in the not to distant future inevitably follow in their wake.
Ivan Rakitic
Compared with Busquets, Croatia international Rakitic is a relative novice at the Nou Camp having arrived from Sevilla just six years ago. He has done well to help offset the loss of Xavi in particular, but life in the midfield engine room becomes increasingly testing and Koeman will need fresh legs eventually as he looks beyond what may remain of the career of a man who turns 33 in March.
Arturo Vidal
Vidal finds himself in a similar boat to Busquets and Rakitic, although, as the senior member of the trio, the combative Chile international may have the most to prove to his new boss. He has spent the last two seasons in Catalonia following his move from Bayern Munich, although 45 of the 33-year-old's 96 appearances to date have come from the bench.
The worst result in Barca's European history
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Anti-semitic attacks
The annual report by the Community Security Trust, which advises the Jewish community on security , warned on Thursday that anti-Semitic incidents in Britain had reached a record high.
It found there had been 2,255 anti-Semitic incidents reported in 2021, a rise of 34 per cent from the previous year.
The report detailed the convictions of a number of people for anti-Semitic crimes, including one man who was jailed for setting up a neo-Nazi group which had encouraged “the eradication of Jewish people” and another who had posted anti-Semitic homemade videos on social media.
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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