I can still vividly remember the night I realised one of my football ambitions.
Every child who wants to be a footballer has fantasies of playing Barcelona at Camp Nou. My dream came true in November 1998 when I travelled to Spain with Manchester United and it was one of the highlights of my career.
I know how the Arsenal players will be feeling when they line up on March 8 needing to get a result because I have been there.
The size of the Camp Nou, which held 114,000 at the time, really hit me the night before the match when we trained on the pitch.
The stands seemed to go up and up and up and I wasn't the only one thinking: "This is the big time, as big as it gets."
The mood was good among our players - too good for Sir Alex Ferguson, who told us to stop messing about.
"Focus!" he would shout from the side as he watched us train. That made our silliness worse because there were pitch side adverts for the Ford Focus car. We were young lads and found it sidesplitting. I said to my teammates: "If I score tomorrow I'll run to the Focus sign in the corner and we can all celebrate."
Barca were brilliant then, as they are now. They had the Brazilian Rivaldo, the Portuguese winger Luis Figo, Luis Enrique and a young Xavi, who had made his debut at Old Trafford in the home leg of our group stage tie which we drew 3-3.
Barca were favourites to win the Champions League in their centenary season and they had the bonus of the final being held in their own stadium.
We stood in their way and Ferguson seemed unaffected by the pressure. He insisted that we attacked them. He had been badly stung by a 4-0 defeat there in 1994, when he was forced to rest key players like Eric Cantona and Peter Schmeichel because of restrictions on foreign players.
He told us that he dreamed of having a team good enough to attack Barca and felt that we were that team. Talk about filling us with belief.
We attacked, but the strategy looked like it was going horribly wrong because Barca went ahead after a minute. Few teams come from behind against the Catalans but Dwight Yorke, my strike partner, equalised in the first half.
Yorke and I then combined and I put United 2-1 up just after half time. I ran to the Focus sign and my teammates joined me. The manager did not have a clue what was going on.
Rivaldo levelled for Barca, before Yorke scored again. Rivaldo and Figo, unquestionably two of the best players in the world, roared back at us. They were true to the philosophy of attacking free flowing football, just as Barcelona will be against Arsenal.
And, just as they will be against Arsenal, they needed to win to stay in the competition.
Rivaldo equalised against us to make it 3-3 and then he hit the bar in the dying minutes. Barca were out. As we walked off the field, Michael Reizeger gave us a look which said, "You've toasted us good and proper".
Yorke and I were on fire that night. We shredded them all night long, found space all over the field and scored goals.
The manager later told us that we had nine clear chances and Barca had 11 or 12.
It was one of the top three games that I ever played in and the draw meant that United and Bayern Munich were through from the group at Barca's expense. We would meet the Germans again in the final in Camp Nou.
Barca will have a few players missing against Arsenal, such as Gerard Pique, but all their big attacking guns are set to play and for that reason I think they will go through.
They only need one goal and they scored four against the Gunners last season at home, just as they have done against strong sides like Bayern and Lyon in recent seasons.
I can't wait for the game because unlike other teams who go to Barca and shut up shop by playing ultra defensively, Arsenal will not change the way they play.
Barcelona never waiver from their attacking philosophy either so I'm sure there will be lots of goals.
Arsene Wenger is a smart manager. Like Ferguson, who was earlier hammered 4-0, Wenger will hope to learn from his experience.
I am sure he will encourage players to attack and continue where they left off in the first leg, especially with Barca potentially weakened in defence.
Will my old club Arsenal have enough like my old club United did to upset Barca?
I am not convinced, but I can't wait to find out.
Andrew Cole is the second-leading goalscorer in Premier League history. His column is written with the assistance of correspondent Andy Mitten
sports@thenational.ae
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
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 Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
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'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”