LONDON // Schalke 04 and Real Madrid moved to the brink of a place in the last four of the Champions League by recording big wins in the first legs of their quarter-finals.
Schalke, which is struggling in midtable in the German league, thrashed reigning champion Inter Milan 5-2 away, with Raul Gonzalez scoring one of the visitors' goals to extend his competition-leading tally to 70.
Madrid took full advantage of a red card for Tottenham Hotspur striker Peter Crouch in the 15th minute to ease past the English side 4-0, with goals by wingers Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo adding to Emmanuel Adebayor's double.
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More on the Champions League
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• David Villa hopes to end dry run at Barcelona
• Time for Torres to come good for Chelsea
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"For a team with 10 men for such a long time, it's an impossible mission," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. "But with the English concept of football, it's not over."
The second legs take place on April 13 but both series already look to be over. Manchester United visit Chelsea and Barcelona host Shakhtar Donetsk in their quarter-final first-leg games later tonight.
Inter, looking to become the first team in Champions League history to retain the title, took the lead after just 29 seconds through a remarkable volley by Dejan Stankovic, who smashed a stunning effort into an empty net from 50 meters after Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer raced out of his area to head the ball clear.
The holders later went ahead for the second time with Argentina striker Diego Milito's close-range finish in the 34th, but their deficiencies at the back were laid bare by Schalke after that. Inter, which was without suspended center back Lucio, wasn't helped by the red card shown to Romania center back Cristian Chivu for a second bookable offence in the 62nd — when the score was 4-2.
"We started well, but then it all went wrong in the second half," Inter captain Javier Zanetti said.
Joel Matip grabbed Schalke's first equaliser, in the 17th minute, before Edu scored the first of his two goals in the 40th.
Prolific former Real Madrid and Spain striker Raul put the visitors ahead for the first time in the 53rd, before an own goal by Andrea Ranocchia and Edu's second goal of the night sealed an emphatic win and set up a potential semifinal against Chelsea or United.
"It was a great night for us as not everyone scores five goals against the defending champion," Raul said. "After a difficult start, my team showed its superiority."
Mourinho stayed on course to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs as Madrid scored three second-half goals to sweep aside an increasingly jaded Spurs.
"It's one of those days where everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong," said Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who lost right winger Aaron Lennon to illness a minute before kickoff.
"It's difficult to come here with 11 men, let alone to come and play with 10."
Former Arsenal striker Adebayor took his tally to 10 goals in 10 games against Spurs by opening the scoring in the fourth minute and adding the second in the 57th, both goals coming from headers from 10 meters out.
By that time, Crouch had been sent off for two reckless and very avoidable tackles in the space of seven minutes and although Spurs — playing in their first Champions League campaign — battled well in the first half, the floodgates opened after the break.
Di Maria cut in from right flank and bent a shot into the far corner in the 72nd before Ronaldo, who started after recovering from a hamstring injury, notched his 38th of the season with a volley that Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes fumbled into his own net.
The only negative on the night for Madrid was the yellow card shown to Pepe for a foul on Gareth Bale in the 36th, ruling the Portugal center back out of the return leg at White Hart Lane.
If the nine-time competition winners complete the job next week, they could face Spanish rival Barcelona in the semi-finals.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
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
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
