Luis Suarez turns on the style as Barcelona outclass Paris Saint-Germain in Uefa Champions League

Over the past few years, Barcelona have made a habit of breaking records and rewriting the history books. In the grand scheme of things, their latest milestone was comparatively minor. In the context of this Champions League, however, it could assume huge proportions.

Paris Saint-Germain had not lost at home in Europe for nine years and 33 games. Until, that is, they met Luis Enrique’s in-form side, who duly chalked up a 21st win in their last 23 attempts in emphatic, exhilarating fashion. It is an extraordinary run, but it helps to have extraordinary players. Two of them, Neymar and Luis Suarez scored, and Barcelona may feel normal service is on the brink of being resumed.

They reached the last four of the Champions League in six successive seasons before falling in the quarter-finals last year. PSG upset the odds to eliminate Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the round of 16, but it would rank as a much greater shock if they can progress from here. They were outclassed. Plenty has been against Barcelona over the years.

— Almost by default, Barca appear stuck with Daniel Alves in their defence

They were in the ascendant from the off. Lionel Messi was denied a 400th Barcelona goal by the woodwork after he bent a 25-yard shot past the diving Salvatore Sirigu. He nonetheless contrived to make a major contribution when his side took the lead, providing the defence-splitting pass for Neymar to slot a shot under Sirigu. The Argentine and the Brazilian have formed a productive alliance and this was the 12th time this season Barcelona’s record scorer has provided a goal for their record buy.

Paris Saint-Germain began without the suspended trio of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Serge Aurier and Marco Verratti and their problems were compounded when captain Thiago Silva hobbled off. It meant they lacked the spine of the strongest side. Perhaps that explained a first-half timid performance when Javier Pastore summed up their stage fright by miskicking in front of goal.

Laurent Blanc’s side displayed a little more ambition thereafter but no sooner had the semi-fit Lucas Moura been brought on in an attacking change than Suarez took advantage of the extra space to double Barcelona’s lead, nutmegging David Luiz and darting in between Marquinhos and Maxwell before sliding his shot in. Ridiculously, Suarez contrived to nutmeg Luiz again before curling in an exquisite third.

Edinson Cavani had stung Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s palms with a well-struck volley before Paris Saint-Germain pulled a goal back. That, too, required a final touch from a Barcelona player, with Jeremy Mathieu deflecting Gregory van der Wiel’s shot past Ter Stegen.

The only other setback for Barcelona came when they had one pass master, Andres Iniesta, stretchered off. Another, Xavi, constituted a natural replacement.

It was the veteran’s 147th Champions League appearance: yet another record.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NatSportUAE

RESULTS

1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner AF Almomayaz, Hugo Lebouc (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)

2pm Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner Karaginsky, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m

Winner Sadeedd, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.

3pm Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,950m

Winner Blue Sovereign, Clement Lecoeuvre, Erwan Charpy.

3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Bladesmith, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.

4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.

MORE ON IRAN'S PROXY WARS

Investigation: From Beirut to Bangui: inside Iran’s plan to take proxy wars to Africa

Editorial: European governments must continue to root out Hezbollah at home

Video: US Navy intercepts 'Iranian weapons' bound for Houthis

The biog

Age: 59

From: Giza Governorate, Egypt

Family: A daughter, two sons and wife

Favourite tree: Ghaf

Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense

Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

UAE currency

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.”

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Pakistan - Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.