BERLIN // Thomas Muller has warned not to read anything into Bayern Munich's comeback win over Darmstadt ahead of Tuesday's crunch Uefa Champions League last 16, first-leg tie at Juventus.
Muller netted twice on Saturday as the runaway Bundesliga leaders came from behind to seal a 3-1 home victory in their last match before Turin.
Muller dug the German giants out of trouble at the Allianz Arena before Robert Lewandowski added their third goal.
Read more:
Borussia batting away likes of Barca, Real Madrid and Man City for Aubameyang and Gudogan
Ian Hawkey: Uefa Champions League last 16: Pep Guardiola's Bayern are depleted, Juve can win this
The National: Top 20 Power Table: Tottenham and Arsenal into top-5; Barca untouchable
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola gave a debut to Serdar Tasci at centre-back in a makeshift Bayern defence also featuring Rafinha, Joshua Kimmich and David Alaba.
Franck Ribery came off the bench after injury to set up Robert Lewandowski for Bayern’s third goal as the Frenchman made only his third appearance of the season.
Guardiola is expected to name a different back four against last season's Champions League finalists Juventus.
And Muller warned that Bayern cannot expect to enjoy the same 81 per cent possession in Turin which allowed them to pepper in 36 shots on Darmstadt’s goal.
“Today’s match had nothing to do with Juventus, we’re just happy to have won and taken three more points. It’ll be 0-0 again in Turin,” Muller said.
“Obviously, it’s annoying that we conceded a goal from a header, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we will do the same against Juventus.
“We have to be tighter in Turin, we can’t allow them so many chances,” Muller added, even though Bayern’s defence allowed Darmstadt just six shots all game.
Bayern fell behind, against the run of play, when Darmstadt’s Munich-born striker and captain Sandro Wagner headed home midway through the first half.
It was only the fifth time this season Bayern had gone behind.
But Bayern roared back to claim their 19th win in 22 league games when Muller slammed his shot into the right-hand corner four minutes into the second half.
He added a superb second by chesting down Arturo Vidal’s cross and hitting a bicycle kick into Darmstadt’s net on 71 minutes.
Lewandowski added the third on 84 minutes when he converted Ribery’s low cross.
It was Lewandowski’s 22nd goal of the season in 21 league games to leave him as the league’s top scorer, while Muller now has 17.
Guardiola singled out Muller’s spectacular second for special praise.
“You need a dream goal to beat Darmstadt,” said the Spaniard, who will coach Manchester City next season.
Muller said he was more concerned about taking three points.
“It was a nice goal of mine, it felt good,” said the 26-year-old Germany international.
“I chested it down well enough and just banged it in the direction of the goal, but even if I score an ugly goal, they all count.”
Guardiola praised his side for their patience.
“36 shots on goal is good, but it was very difficult to win when they had so many players defending and played a lot of long balls to Wagner,” Guardiola said.
“I am happy with the team, they were patient and have a good spirit.
“From tomorrow we’ll prepare for Juventus and I think we’re in a good phase.”
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Credits
Produced by: Colour Yellow Productions and Eros Now
Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
