Mauricio Pochettino wants Tottenham to ‘look forward’ after Chelsea setback

Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, who took charge of Spurs last summer, was proud of his team's performance in the League Cup final on Sunday night, but felt there was room for improvement.

Spurs went down 2-0 to Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, thanks to John Terry’s opener just before the break and Diego Costa’s shot that deflected in off Kyle Walker 11 minutes into the second half.

While congratulating Chelsea on their win, Pochettino said: “We played how we always need to play in a final. I feel proud of my players because I think they played very well, but in the same way disappointed for our supporters and for our players because we made a big, big effort.

“It’s hard but we have to look forward.”

Unlike Chelsea, Spurs were involved in European competition in midweek, losing the second leg of their Europa League tie with Fiorentina in Italy, and Pochettino felt that was a factor.

Asked about tiredness possibly having an effect on his team in the final, the Spurs coach said: “It’s always difficult because in preparing for this final we played on Thursday in Florence. That is not an excuse, but it is the reality.

“But we have to improve. This was the first final for a lot of the players and we are proud.

“This is the first step for this group, because this group is strong, and we showed character and personality.”

Terry’s deflected close-range effort beat Hugo Lloris to put Chelsea ahead at the end of the first half and Walker turned Costa’s low drive into his own net after the break to give Mourinho victory in the pouring rain. Both goals were slightly fortuitous – but few would argue that Chelsea lifting the trophy had anything to do with luck.

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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