Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham Hotspur manager, is confident that his players are capable of creating history by pulling off a dramatic comeback against Real Madrid.
A ruthless 4-0 hammering in the Bernabeu last week left Tottenham facing a huge task to overcome Jose Mourinho's side and make the Champions League semi-finals.
No team in the history of the competition has been able to overturn a four-goal margin from a first-leg defeat, although three teams have managed it in other Uefa tournaments.
That said, those three teams were facing Borussia Monchengladbach, La Chaux-de-Fonds and Queens Park Rangers, and not team blessed with the world's best talent looking to conquer Europe for the 10th time.
But Redknapp cut a relaxed and optimistic figure yesterday, boosted by the news that Aaron Lennon could be fit for the match.
"We are in a situation where everyone feels the tie is over but we know we are a good team and can play well here at White Hart Lane," he said.
"We know it will take a miracle but miracles can happen and we have to believe that we can give it our best shot tomorrow and if we play very well, you never know what will happen.
"I went last year to see Juventus at Craven Cottage and Fulham were 3-1 down after the first leg and then went 1-0 down on the night early on. They came back and won the tie. It was one of the great games I've seen and shows that anything is possible.
"You never know with football. We have to turn in a good performance and see if we can win the game and we will see where it takes us from there. We will see how it develops."
Spurs came back from 3-0 down in the qualifying round against Swiss side Young Boys to make the group stages.
The attacking football that Redknapp has employed throughout the competition has endeared Spurs to many neutrals, but the manager admits he may have to rein in his team tonight, despite the four-goal deficit.
"It's OK saying you're going to attack them but you can't be that open," Redknapp said.
"You are playing against world-class players. You don't want to start bombing forward and be ripped open on the counter-attack and get hammered that way.
"You have to be controlled and take the chances when they come and give it our best go."
Spurs have enjoyed an excellent debut season in the competition, defeating both Milan sides, FC Twente, Werder Bremen and Young Boys to reach the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Uefa is sending a top disciplinary official to monitor the match tonight after Emmanuel Adebayor said English fans racially abused him in the first leg game last week.
Uefa has appointed Jacques Antenen, the vice-chairman of its disciplinary panel, as match delegate at the second leg in London.
10.45pm, Abu Dhabi Sports 3
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
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.”
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.
The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
