Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will field as many youth players as the rules permit when his depleted side travel to third-tier Villanovense in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
Missing in action
The Catalans have suffered several injuries of late with Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Rafinha all out. Coupled with their Fifa transfer ban over two windows for signing under-age European players, their resources are severely stretched.
Youth will be served
“My intention is to use as many youth players as possible and I would have liked to use more,” Luis Enrique told a news conference yesterday ahead of the first leg of their last 32-tie. “The rules though state that we have to field seven first-team players and that is the situation. It would have been better that more players didn’t have to travel.”
Not skipping a beat
Despite having to soldier on towards January, when they will be able to call on new signings Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal, last season’s treble winners are joint-leaders in Primera Liga with Real Madrid and top their Uefa Champions League group.
Neymar and Suarez to rest
Barca start the defence of the Copa they won last May against Athletic Bilbao with a tie brought forward due to Barca’s participation in the Club World Cup in December. Neymar and Luis Suarez, who scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 La Liga win against Eibar at the weekend, are among the first-team regulars left out of the squad to face Villanovense.
Stepping up to adversity
Enrique said he was pleased with the way his side had coped with the challenges facing them this season. “My job is to deal with the obstacles that you come across during a campaign and that is what we are doing,” he said. “Situations are always changing and we are proud with our capacity to overcome these problems.”
Waiting on Mascherano
Barca are also waiting to hear the length of the ban Javier Mascherano will receive after being sent off against Eibar on Sunday for verbally abusing an assistant referee. The Argentine could face a four-match suspension.
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Indika
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
