Pep Guardiola has labelled midfielder Rodri "incredible" and has backed the midfielder to become an important part of Manchester City's line-up over the next decade.
The Spaniard, who was signed from Atletico Madrid for £62.8 million (Dh288m), impressed his new manager during Saturday's 3-1 success over Yokohama F Marinos as the Premier League's Asia trip ended on a winning note.
Rodri, 23, was recruited with an eye to being the long-term successor to Fernandinho in the heart of the City midfielder.
Guardiola liked what he saw on Saturday and said: "Rodri was incredible today.
"We knew it but today I can assure you we have an incredible holding midfielder for the next decade, or at least the years he will be here with a contract."
Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Nmecha were all on the scoresheet against Yokohama.
The two-week trip to Asia may have had a troubled start with City's initial flight to China being delayed by two days, but Guardiola was pleased with how things finished in Japan.
City ran out 3-1 winners in front of a lively crowd of 65,052 at the Nissan Stadium after a strong test both from their J-League opponents and the hot and humid conditions.
City now fly straight home to continue preparations for next Sunday's Community Shield against Liverpool and their Premier League opener at West Ham United the following week on August 10.
"The game was incredibly tough and it was an incredible test for preparing, not just for Liverpool, but the beginning of the season," said Guardiola.
"It was perfect for us to play this kind of game because if you don't do what you have to do they have incredible quality and they took a lot of risks. They played so quick and so good and we were in real trouble.
“So, it was good from both sides, it was an incredible test for our progression for the next game and for the future, so a big compliment to the players, no injuries, so we beat an incredible team.
City have been without Sergio Aguero, Nicolas Otamendi, Fernandinho, Ederson, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez on tour due to international commitments, although Guardiola is happy with the levels being reached despite their absence.
He is confident there will be no resting on laurels following last season's domestic treble success.
The Spaniard said: "I know them better so now I don't have doubts about what they can do.
"I'm not talking about winning or losing but about today, for example, against a team second in the (J-League) table with incredible dynamic, and with our lack of physical condition.
"We made mistakes but that's good in this period. We are going to solve it and I have no doubts that the team will be ready again to try it."
De Bruyne, whose 2018-19 season was ravaged by injury, has particularly impressed throughout the tour yet Guardiola felt a number of his teammates deserved praise.
He said: "Kevin made another great game. It's important to have his quality for the vision to make the last pass when the opponent defends in a high line.
"Bernardo (Silva) is back too at his normal level, Sterling continued and John Stones and Ayme (Laporte) are back. These guys played incredibly well in the game here. In general our tour was nice."
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
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
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
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
