Zoran Mamic has vowed that his Al Ain players will represent their club and the UAE at the Fifa Club World Cup in the “best possible way” as the hosts prepare for the opening match.
The Arabian Gulf League champions meet Team Wellington of New Zealand at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday with Real Madrid, River Plate, Guadalajara, Esperance de Tunis and Kashima Antlers making up the rest of the teams appearing in Abu Dhabi.
“We are happy that we are participating in the tournament and have waited for this game with a lot of motivation,” Mamic told reporters on Monday.
“We have a team that I think can win the first game but we have to respect our opponents. There is more quality in my team and we have to prove that on the pitch.”
Al Ain come into the match on the back of fine domestic form that has them level on points with league leaders Sharjah, although they suffered a heavy loss to Al Wasl in their most recent encounter in the President's Cup on Friday.
“This tournament is different and we have to forget what happened in the past,” Mamic said.
“We have to concentrate on the next match and this game is against Wellington and our focus on this game. Wellington play an offensive game and that’s bad for me. They have good strikers and midfielders.”
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Read more:
Aref Al Awani: Every game is a big game at the Fifa Club World Cup
Andy Mitten: River Plate on their way to Abu Dhabi for Fifa Club World Cup
Messi, Rodriguez and Griezmann: Football's top stars turn out in Madrid for River Plate v Boca Juniors
Fifa Club World Cup: Barcelona and Real Madrid feature in five best matches from past UAE tournaments
Mario Barcia: Team Wellington midfielder prepares for Club World Cup 'dream' after unconventional journey
Lowdown: All you need to know about the Fifa Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi
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Al Ain are making their tournament bow against the Oceania champions. No tournament was held the year Al Ain won the Asian Champions League in 2003.
Mamic said his side felt no pressure, adding that playing the best teams from around the world was a "bonus" and one that his players should embrace.
“I want them to enjoy the tournament and play without any pressure because we know the calibre of teams playing in this tournament," he said. "You will maybe get a once in a lifetime chance to be a part of this tournament, that’s why I want my players to do their best and enjoy.”
Mamic has injury concerns over midfielders Amer Abdulrahman and Rayan Yaslam while Portuguese attacker Ruben Ribeiro failed to receive international clearance in time to face the Oceania Champions League winners.
Malian midfielder Tongo Doumbia, who joined on a two-year deal in October, is included in the squad.
“Doumbia is in good shape, but training is one thing and the match is another, he will be participating in this game, how much we will see,” Mamic said.
“I know him from before; he is very good player and I’m sure he can help the team.”
The winner of Wednesday's play-off will advance to face African champions Esperance on Saturday with a potential semi-final against South American champions River Plate further down the line.
Ismail Ahmed, the Al Ain captain, said the players were not looking beyond the Wellington match and called on all UAE football fans to turn out in support of the host club.
“It’s something very special for us as players,” said the centre-back. “Our objective to win the first game against Team Wellington. This is the most important game for us.
“Al Ain fans are the best in the country but we urge all football fans in the country to rally behind us in this game.
"We have watched UAE clubs previously play in the Club World Cup. It's our turn now and we want to be right up there with the best and present our loyal fans something they would remember for a long time."
Teammate Mohammed Fayez echoed his captain's sentiments. “This game is not about Al Ain but the UAE, and we want to make our country proud in front of a world audience,” he said.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UFC Fight Night 2
1am – Early prelims
2am – Prelims
4am-7am – Main card
7:30am-9am – press cons
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Opening Premier League fixtures, August 14
- Brentford v Arsenal
- Burnley v Brighton
- Chelsea v Crystal Palace
- Everton v Southampton
- Leicester City v Wolves
- Manchester United v Leeds United
- Newcastle United v West Ham United
- Norwich City v Liverpool
- Tottenham v Manchester City
- Watford v Aston Villa
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
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.
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
FIXTURES
Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)
Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)
Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)
Gulf rugby
Who’s won what so far in 2018/19
Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain
What’s left
UAE Conference
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers
March 29, final
UAE Premiership
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes
March 29, final
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
