Jon Turner picks five football matches not to be missed this weekend.
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ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE
Al Ahli v Baniyas, Abu Dhabi Sports HD, Friday 8.45pm
The UAE top flight has enjoyed its first meaningful title battle in years as Al Ahli and Al Ain duked it out at the top of the table for much of the season. That was until Ahli edged the recent encounter between the top two to create some daylight, and the Dubai club can wrap up their second title in three years at the Rashid Stadium if they avoid defeat to Baniyas. For a team that has won all 11 of their home fixtures this season, scoring 32 goals in the process, taking on a team that has six defeats on the road, this should be a walk in the park. A title triumph would be fully deserved for Cosmin Olaroiu and his team, and their return to next season’s Asian Champions League will be most welcome to all UAE football fans after their absence this year.
BUNDESLIGA
Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach, beIN Sports HD, Saturday 5.30pm
Another club that can seal their domestic league title is Bayern Munich when they host Borussia Monchengladbach, with victory guaranteeing Pep Guardiola a flawless Bundesliga record from his three years in charge. Second-placed Borussia Dortmund have clung on to their own title hopes for the past few weeks, matching each Bayern victory with one of their own, but Bayern are expected to deliver the knockout blow this weekend. Bayern could give their rivals reason for optimism if Guardiola opts to rest a host of star players, given this tie takes place between the two legs of the Uefa Champions League semi-final with Atletico Madrid. But that may just be clutching at straws, and Bayern captain Philipp Lahm is likely to be hoisting the trophy to a backdrop of confetti on Saturday.
PORTUGUESE PRIMERA LIGA
Porto v Sporting, beIN Sports HD, Saturday 9.30pm
A European title race that could go down to the wire is in Portugal as Benfica lead rivals Sporting by two points with three matches to play. Benifca, who have won nine league matches in a row, are likely to extend that lead to five points for at least 24 hours when they host 11th-placed Vitoria Guimaraes on Friday, and Sporting will need to win at Porto to maintain their own title challenge. Porto, by their own standards, have struggled this season and find themselves in third, 10 points behind Sporting, but will pose a stern test to the Lisbon club. Anything less than victory for Sporting will likely spell the end of their title bid. It’s just that time of year.
PRIMERA LIGA
Real Betis v Barcelona, beIN Sports HD, Saturday 10.30pm
Italy’s Serie A has been settled, the Premier League in England looks a forgone conclusion, and the Bundesliga should be decided, but the fourth of Europe’s biggest leagues is as close and tense as it can get. Barcelona lead Atletico Madrid on a superior head-to-head record, as Real Madrid trail by a point behind with three games remaining. Barca’s blip of three successive defeats was followed in brutal style with 8-0 and 6-0 wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon respectively. A fine way to bounce back, but there is no time to rest for Lionel Messi and his teammates, as anything less than victory at Betis is likely to hand Atletico, who host 16th-placed Rayo Vallecano, the advantage with just two games left. It really is too close to call in Spain.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester United v Leicester City, beIN Sports HD, Sunday 5.05pm
Most football supporters in the world, and fans of fantasy fiction for that matter, are likely to be transfixed on Sunday evening when Leicester City tread onto the Old Trafford pitch knowing victory will ensure the most unlikely league title in English football history. As has been well documented by now, Leicester were bottom of the Premier League table with 10 games to go last season, and were among the favourites for relegation this year. Instead, Claudio Ranieri and his side require just three points from three games to win the league. It could happen against record winners United, although the 20-time champions will provide a tough test. Louis van Gaal’s side have won six of their last eight league matches and are one of the form teams, although there could be some changes to his regular line-up with the FA Cup final on the horizon. Leicester will still be without main striker Jamie Vardy, but that didn’t seem to affect them too much against Swansea City, with replacement Leonardo Ulloa scoring twice in the 4-0 win. Anyone that is not a United or Tottenham fan will be a Leicester supporter for the day.
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Sean Kirrane (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Falaj Hazza – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Arim W’Rsan, Dane O’Neill, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Al Basrah – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Kalifano De Ghazal, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Oud Al Touba – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Pharitz Oubai, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Sieh bin Amaar – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Oxord, Richard Mullen, Abdalla Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: AF Ramz, Sean Kirrane, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Al Saad – Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Sea Skimmer, Gabriele Malune, Kareem Ramadan
More from our Neighbourhood series:
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The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
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.”
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