After dazzling on his first appearance in a Paris Saint-Germain shirt, Neymar is in line to make his home debut for his new club against Toulouse on Sunday.
The world's most expensive player scored one goal and set up another in a starring performance as PSG beat Guingamp 3-0 away in Brittany last weekend to maintain their perfect start to the new French season.
The €222 million (roughly Dh960m) signing from Barcelona has already taken to the pitch at PSG's Parc des Princes for an unveiling before their 2-0 win over Amiens there on the opening day of the campaign.
Watch Neymar's first Ligue 1 goal for PSG
But he was not registered in time to play in that match so PSG's home support are eager to watch the 25-year-old run out against Toulouse. In contrast, the opposition coach is rather more apprehensive.
"We are going to Paris to defend first of all, that is for sure. We will park the bus," said Pascal Dupraz, whose team did beat PSG at home and drew away last season en route to a mid-table finish.
"I believe in the possibility of getting a result in Paris. That is the beauty of football too. If I didn't believe then I'd be as well to do something else."
Also read:
PSG's 'man in demand' Jese joins Stoke City on loan
Dupraz, who has this week brought in Ivory Coast winger Max-Alain Gradel on loan from Bournemouth, added: "We will need luck and to have God on our side because clearly this PSG side is incredible.
"But be careful not to call this game Toulouse against Neymar! Paris will win the league, I think, and will once again go far in Europe."
PSG have been busy trying to reduce their wage bill following the Neymar signing, and have loaned unwanted Spanish forward Jese to Stoke City while agreeing to sell France midfielder Blaise Matuidi to Juventus for €20m.
Neymar tweet on Barcelona attack
Meanwhile, they are apparently ready to pay another blockbuster fee of €180m to sign Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe.
The 18-year-old striker, who hails from the Paris suburbs, is keen on the move and while Monaco would prefer him to go to Real Madrid, the French champions have left him out of their squad to face Metz on Friday.
The decision to drop Mbappe came after he was left on the bench for the duration of last weekend's 4-1 win at Dijon, in which Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick.
"The philosophy at AS Monaco is to play those who are at 100 per cent and totally available to the squad," manager Leonardo Jardim said.
Also read:
Mbappe 'a great prospect' for Real Madrid, says Ramos
Lyon are top of the early standings on goal difference and they will look to make it three wins from three when they host Bordeaux on Saturday.
Also on maximum points are Saint-Etienne, who host Amiens, and Marseille, whose home clash with Angers comes in between the two legs of their Europa League play-off against Domzale of Slovenia.
Also read:
Ian Hawkey's 'Around Europe' preview
It has been a difficult start to the season for last season's third-placed side Nice. They lost their opening two league outings and then went down 2-0 away to Napoli in the first leg of their Champions League play-off on Wednesday.
They need a lift when they entertain Guingamp on Saturday, when star duo Mario Balotelli and Wesley Sneijder could play some part.
"They are coming back, but I don't know if they will start," said coach Lucien Favre.
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series
All matches at the Harare Sports Club:
1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets