Real Madrid v Man City, Al Ain in Asian Champions League: Five things to watch this week

Silvia Razgova / The National

Courtesy Al Ain FC

Courtesy Arabian Gulf League

Courtesy Arabian Gulf League

Steve Luckings highlights five things to do watch and experience in the UAE this week.

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FOOTBALL: Real Madrid v Manchester City, Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg, Tuesday, 10.45pm

Following last week's goalless encounter at Etihad Stadium, Real Madrid host a Manchester City side bidding to reach the final of the Uefa Champions League for the first time. Madrid face an anxious wait over the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo. This season's top scorer in the Champions League with 16 goals in 10 games was ruled out of last week's encounter by a thigh injury and it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese forward will take his place in the Madrid line-up at the Bernabeu.

BUY TICKETS

Several live events will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this month. Abu Dhabi Warriors, the Middle East’s premier MMA fighting championship, returns to Abu Dhabi for an action packed, 10-fight card on May 24 at the Ipic Arena at Zayed Sports City; squash’s PSA Dubai World Series Finals takes place at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai from May 24-28; and the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters runs May 26-27.

For more information and tickets visit:

• Abu Dhabi Warriors 4

• PSA Dubai World Series Finals

• Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters

FOOTBALL: Al Ain v Nasaf, Asian Champions League, Tuesday, 8.30pm

Such is the complexity of Group D, any one of the remaining three teams can still join El Jaish in qualifying for the knockout stages. Second-place Al Ain are in prime position, with the Garden City club on seven points, one ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli and two ahead of Nasaf, their opponents on Tuesday. Beat the Uzbek team at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and Al Ain are assured of qualification, whereas a defeat for Zlatko Dalic’s side coupled with an Al Ahli victory over the Qatari club El Jaish, and they are out. Al Jazira, bottom of Group C, play a dead-rubber against Pakhtakor at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, kick off at 6.30pm.

FOOTBALL: Lokomotiv v Al Nasr, Asian Champions League, Wednesday, 7pm

Al Nasr travel to Uzbekistan on Wednesday with their qualification fate still in their own hands: beat Lokomotiv and progress to the last 16. Ivan Jovanovic’s side have amassed eight points from their five games so far but face their sternest examination yet as they travel to face the Group A leaders. A defeat for Nasr leaves the door open for Al Ittihad, currently third on six points, two behind Nasr, to leapfrog them into second place in the group if they beat Iran’s Sepahan.

FOOTBALL: Arabian Gulf League, Sunday, matches kick off at 7.35pm

While the destination of the Arabian Gulf League title was decided on Thursday, with Al Ahli clinching it without even kicking a ball following Al Ain’s defeat to Fujairah on Thursday, there is still plenty to be decided in the final two rounds of the 2015/16 campaign. Just three points separate sixth-placed Al Shabab and Al Wahda in third, the final spot to secure participation in next year’s Asian Champions League. Al Wahda host Baniyas at Al Nahyan Stadium, fourth-place Al Wasl travel across town to take on Shabab and Al Nasr, currently fifth, host second-bottom Fujairah, who are also looking to bolster their survival hopes. Fujairah are level on 26 points with Emirates but have an inferior head-to-head record.