With Real Madrid in fully-blown crisis mode following back-to-back defeats and a trip to Barcelona on the horizon, last weekend's 2-0 win over lowly Levante should have been a cause for celebration around the Santiago Bernabeu.
For one of their under-fire stars, at least, it was. Gareth Bale responded to the fiercest criticism he has faced in his 20-month spell in the Spanish capital with his first two goals in nine games.
The Welshman reacted to his first strike by covering his ears to mock the boos and whistles his own fans had greeted him with five days previously in a shock 4-3 defeat by Schalke.
Yet not everyone was thrilled. Cristiano Ronaldo’s response to Bale firing home after his initial effort had been headed off the line by Ivan Ramis was more in tune with watching the opposition score than one of his teammates.
“Ronaldo’s extraordinarily stroppy reaction to Bale scoring from a rebound from his effort was bizarre and unhealthy,” tweeted former England international Gary Lineker.
The Portuguese striker could barely hide his frustration once more when Bale was then credited with Real’s second after his drive cannoned in off the former Spurs man’s left leg.
That led to the quite unbelievable situation where Bale’s name was again whistled by the Bernabeu for having the audacity to claim a goal that was rightly his.
“As a fan, I don’t like to see Cristiano Ronaldo like this, but that is what he is like,” said Madrid legend Carlos Santillana, who Ronaldo recently overtook to become the third highest goalscorer in the club’s history.
“He ought to cut out that cocky attitude.”
Ronaldo’s arrogance has long been seen as part of the formula which has made him such a great player and almost untouchable in the Spanish capital.
His record of 293 goals in 285 games since joining from Manchester United six years ago means it is not a matter of if he will surpass Raul to become Madrid’s top marksmen of all-time but when, and he looks set to do it in 400 fewer appearances.
Moreover, he has won back-to-back Ballon d’Ors and led Real to their coveted “La Decima” – a tenth European Cup – with a competition record 17 goals in one season less than a year ago.
Yet, there is a growing feeling that a combination of factors are dragging Madrid's main man down just when they need him most ahead of Sunday's potentially decisive clash in the fight for the La Liga title.
Despite Madrid’s struggles in recent weeks, Barca’s lead at the top of the table is still only one point with 11 games remaining.
Ronaldo has struck 41 times in 39 games this season, but his ratio has dropped from 1.39 goals a game to 0.64 in 2015.
That run also included a ninth red card of his career for lashing out at Cordoba defender Edimar.
Off the field he has split from long-term Russian supermodel girlfriend Irina Shayk and was heavily criticised for hosting a huge 30th birthday party just hours after Real had been humiliated 4-0 by local rivals Atletico Madrid last month.
He told reporters he wouldn’t be speaking publicly for the rest of the season after the Schalke debacle, and was seen muttering a profanity towards the Bernabeu stands when his umpteenth attempt to find the net against Levante was met with derision.
Yet, Ronaldo has always loved a challenge, especially when it comes to his personal duel with Lionel Messi.
“I am not going to stop. I want to reach Messi,” he said when picking up the third Ballon d’Or of his career in January, just one behind the record held by the Argentine.
With Messi in majestic form as Barca have won 17 of their last 18 games, there is no better stage for Ronaldo to prove he remains the king of world football than in front of a huge global audience at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
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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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Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
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Pad Man
Dir: R Balki
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte
Three-and-a-half stars
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded