Villarreal's Robert Pires could only applaud Arsenal following his side's comprehensive defeat on Wednesday night.
"They can go far. This is a big team full of potential, speed, freshness and youth. What I hope is that they reach the final and win it," the former Arsenal winger was quoted as saying in Marca. "I'm still a fan of this team, who play the type of football that I love."
Pires, whose last appearance for Arsenal came in the 2006 final against Barca before he switched to Villarreal, was making his first trip to the Emirates Stadium and he was pleased with the reception he got.
"On a personal level it was very nice, incredible. I honestly didn't expect it. I know that players never forget their old teammates, but this has touched my heart," said the 35-year-old former France international, who spent six successful seasons at Arsenal.
"I've also discovered a very nice stadium that I didn't know before. Despite the defeat, all this will stay in my memory, it's been a nice experience."
* With agencies
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort: