Exciting Crystal Palace forward Yannick Bolasie says he is prepared to take the kicks and the tough tackles as he hopes to make his presence felt at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The fleet-footed Bolasie snatched DR Congo a 1-1 draw in their opening Group B match with Zambia in Ebebiyin at the weekend and was later picked as the man of the match.
He was also involved in a couple of bruising challenges with his Zambia shadow Davies Nkausu and he expects more such attention from defenders at this tournament.
"Physically I'm ready. I normally take kicks in the English Premier League, so it is nothing new for me," said the forward, who has been accompanied to the championship by his athletics performance coach.
“There are some great players at the tournament and I want to prove that I’m onside with them as one of the best in Africa.”
Two years ago, he turned down the chance to feature at this tournament, preferring to stay back at Palace having only just joined the South London club from Bristol City.
“In 2013, I had just moved to Crystal Palace. I had started to play games and that was what I wanted to do. Together with my physio (Ray Wilson), we decided it was the best decision for me as I didn’t want any disruption,” he explained.
“Four months afterwards, I was called up and I answered it. Nobody would want to miss this tournament, but personally it was a good choice. We (Crystal Palace) got promoted and now the competition is back.”
But despite the talent in the DR Congo squad, they have struggled to return to top reckoning since winning the continental competition twice, in 1968 and 1974.
They only returned to the tournament in 2013 after a seven-year absence and even then they crashed out in the first round after drawing all three group matches.
However, Bolasie has warned that his team cannot be discounted in Equatorial Guinea this time.
“Our group in the qualifiers (with Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone) was tough, but I always had the confidence we would go through as the third-best team especially after we beat Sierra Leone,” he said.
“Now we have to take advantage at the tournament. Looking at all the groups, C and D are the ones you wouldn’t want to be in. Every group is tough though.
“In our group, Cape Verde have some quality players, Tunisia are always good despite the fact that I don’t know any of their players. Zambia were champions in 2012. To be honest, if I had the choice, I would want to be in this group (Group B).”
Expectations have been raised around the current squad, which features Europe-based names such as Chancel Mbemba of Anderlecht, Cedric Makiadi of Werder Bremen, Dieumerci Mbokani of Dynamo Kiev and captain Youssouf Mulumbu of West Bromwich Albion.
Bolasie continued: “The expectations are really high. When you play a game and 60,000 fans turn up, that’s incredible. It shows that we are a big football nation.
“We have won this competition twice and there are a lot of expectations, with the current squad having players coming from Europe.
“We want to get out of the group stage and anything can happen after that.
“We like the challenge. We don’t care what others think of us, but we have players who can hurt teams.”
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
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Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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Meydan race card
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (Dirt) 1,200m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; (D) 1,900m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 2,000m
8.50pm: Handicap; Dh185,000; (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; (D) 2,000m
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream