Zlatan Ibrahimovic claimed at his official unveiling at AC Milan that he is more in demand at the age of 38 than he was 10 years ago.
The Swedish forward has rejoined the Italian club he left seven years ago for a six-month stint, with an option to extend his stay, but there are questions over how much impact he can have on the fallen giants who are languishing in 11th in Serie A.
In their last match, Milan produced a pitiful display as they were thumped 5-0 at Atalanta, their joint-heaviest Serie A defeat.
"I'm not here as a mascot to dance for the fans next to the Devil [Milan's mascot]," Ibrahimovic said.
"I'm looking for the last bit of adrenaline I might have. At my age, you're not looking for anything else but a challenge.
"When you're 38 and get hired by AC Milan it's something that doesn't happen very often, coming here means I still have something to give.
"At 38, I have received more offers than at 28. I am ready, I feel more than alive, I hope to play immediately."
Milan chief football officer Zvonimir Boban contacted the Swede after he left Los Angeles Galaxy in October and the calls intensified after the Atalanta drubbing.
Ibrahimovic helped AC Milan win their last major trophy, the Serie A title in 2010-11, before leaving to join Paris St Germain the following year in a move that he said on Friday was against his will.
"After Atalanta I got lots and lots of calls, it wasn't a difficult decision in the end," said Ibrahimovic. "The last time I left AC Milan, it was without my approval but the situation was what it was ... the important thing is that I am here now.
"Each year is different, physically you change with every year that goes by. But experience teaches you to do things differently, if you're an intelligent player you know what you can and cannot do ... instead of running, I can shoot from long distance.
He promised he would not go easy on his younger team mates. "I'm meaner than before," he said. "They know what I am like, how I train and play each match.
"You have to work hard. You have to know how to suffer, otherwise you don't reach your maximum potential. Not everyone likes to suffer but I do ... and I expect a lot from my team mates."
Boban, though, warned that the club would not just be counting on Ibrahimovic. "We can't forget the horrible and unacceptable defeat at Bergamo, but we must not hide behind the broad shoulders of Zlatan Ibrahimovic," he said.
"We hope the course of the season will change and are optimistic about the effect he will have on the team and the environment but we need results."
Milan's next match is at home to Sampdoria in Serie A on Monday although there was no mention of whether Ibrahimovic, who has not played since October, would make his debut that quickly.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Combating coronavirus
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
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EA Sports FC 25
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
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Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
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UK-EU trade at a glance
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History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
1. |
United States |
2. |
China |
3. |
UAE |
4. |
Japan |
5 |
Norway |
6. |
Canada |
7. |
Singapore |
8. |
Australia |
9. |
Saudi Arabia |
10. |
South Korea |
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Who is Allegra Stratton?
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
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McIlroy's recent struggles
Last six stroke-play events (First round score in brackets)
Arnold Palmer Invitational Tied for 4th (74)
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The specs
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
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