ABU DHABI // There will be no excuses for Al Wahda if they miss out on winning the President’s Cup on Friday night.
That is the view of manager Javier Aguirre, despite the fact that he will have to do without Chilean international Jorge Valdivia and Emirati Sultan Al Ghafri for the showdown at Zayed Sports City Stadium against Al Nasr.
“We will not look for excuses for the absence of one or two players,” the Mexican said.
“We still have a strong squad and have the confidence on them that they would go out there and win this game for us.”
Valdivia has been ruled out after suffering a thigh muscle spasm in their 4-2 defeat to Persepolis of Iran in the Asian Champions League earlier this month.
Al Ghafri is sidelined due to suspension as he is serving a one-match ban for two yellow cards.
It will be the first time that Aguirre has taken charge of a game at Zayed Sports City Stadium since he took over at Wahda last summer, and he said he expected the team to adapt to the new surroundings quickly as they bid to win the President’s Cup for the first time since 2000.
“It is my first time here, but it is a final and there are no excuses not to give a good game,” he said.
The former manager of Mexico and Japan said there is little to pick between the two sides and that he is expecting a close game against Nasr.
The sides finished the Arabian Gulf League campaign in fifth and sixth places, respectively, with both having enjoyed one win over each other in their two league meetings.
“It’s going to be a very interesting game with two equally-matches sides,” Aguirre said.
“The fans from both camps can enjoy a good game and it will be the best team on the night.
“There are no favourites here as both teams are very similar. We won 5-1 against them in the first round of the league and lost 3-1 in the return leg away.
“So, we are both in the same level.”
Sebastian Tagliabue, the Argentine striker who joined his manager at the pre-match news conference, said he would trade all his personal achievements to win a major title for Wahda.
“If we win, it will be the biggest title I have won,” said the winner of both the Golden Boot and the Foreign Player of the Year in 2015/2016.
“I have been the top scorer for the club three times, and if we can win this I will put it at the top.
“And for winning this cup I’m ready to part with all my personal achievements.
“If my goals can help my team win, it will be better.
“I dream to score hat-trick but if we win by an own goal of Al Nasr I will still be happy.”
If one player in the Wahda line-up would miss Valdivia’s presence on the pitch, it would be Tagliabue, who has linked up well with his teammate throughout the campaign.
“He is in a different level than us,” Tagliabue said.
“He is in the level of what Lionel Messi is for Barcelona.
“However, we still have three or four players, such as Balazs Dzsudzsak [the Hungary international] and Ismail Matar, who can play that role.
“Maybe not in the same way as Valdivia, but we can manage.”
From Dan Petrescu’s point of view, Al Nasr season’s will be defined on whether they lift the President’s Cup.
The Romanian, who replaced Serbian Ivan Jovanovic in November as Nasr’s manager, said people will not remember anything else that happened during the season if they prevail against Al Wahda in the final and win silverware, as well as qualify for the 2018 Asian Champions League. “Our season will be judged after the cup final,” Petrescu said.
“That’s why it’s important to win this trophy.
“It’s not only winning the trophy but qualifying for the Asian Champions League. I’m happy my team is the final but I’ll be happier if we take the cup.
“To participate is not enough.
“We are playing against a good team, a good coach and good players.”
Petrescu said past results and the absence of a player or two, referring to Valdivia’s absence in the Al Wahda line-up due to a thigh injury, will not make Wahda any weaker when they take to the field.
“Wahda are a side with a lot of quality and they don’t depend on one or two players,” Petrescu said.
“They are a side who defeated Al Jazira 6-0 [in the President’s Cup quarter-final] and Al Rayyan 5-0 [the Qatari club] in the Asian Champions League.
“Only a good team can achieve such results.”
Petrescu is unsure how the game will pan out, tactically, but said he would be not surprised if only one goal decided proceedings.
“You never know what to expect in a cup final,” he said.
“A lot will depend and how the two teams approach the game.
“There are several things to consider.
“It could be an open or close game, the form of the players and how they would adapt to the situations, or it could be everything. For me, the first goal will be very important.”
The Nasr manager, who stayed tight-lipped on the team’s strategy and the line-up, insisted that small details could make a huge difference.
“I have not decided on the line-up,” he said. “We have small problems but I’m not going to tell them [to the media].
“In a cup final, everything is possible. It can be decided in 90 minutes and in a penalty shoot-out.
“The chances of both teams are 50-50, it doesn’t matter what happened in the league.”
Nasr are seeking a fifth President’s Cup title after they ended a 26-year wait to lay hands on the title in 2015.
They had previously won the Cup three times in five years, in 1985 and 1986, and in 1989.
“It will be great to finish off the season with the prestigious President’s Cup title,” Nasr midfielder Tareq Ahmed said.
“Our campaign in the league was hampered by injuries to key players but all that can be put right in this one game.
“The players are aware what it requires winning this game.
“Obviously not an easy task but we are ready.”
Their past nine games are no indication as they have four wins, three losses and two draws over all competitions.
ROAD TO THE FINAL
Al Wahda
• Round 1 def. Dibba 3-1 (Al Ghafri, Al Kamali, Matar)
• Quarter-final def. Al Jazira 6-0 (Tagliabue 3 [1 pen], Dzsudzsak 2 [1 pen], Burgosh)
• Semi-final Sharjah 1-0 (Dzsudzsak pen)
Al Nasr
• Round 1 def. Dubai 1-0 (Wanderley)
• Quarter-final def. Al Ain 1-0 (Yaqoob)
• Semi-final def. Hatta 1-0 (Barrada)
RECENT WINNERS
Recent winners
• 2016 Al Jazira
• 2015 Al Nasr
• 2014 Al Ain
• 2013 Al Ahli
• 2012 Al Jazira
• 2011 Al Jazira
• 2010 Emirates
• 2009 Al Ain
• 2008 Al Ahli
• 2007 Al Wasl
• 2006 Al Ain
• 2005 Al Ain
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Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
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Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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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.”
Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Starring: Eric Ruffin, Chloe Levine
Three stars
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
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63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)
64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)
66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)
68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
