Four Pro League clubs were in the pot when the draw for the next year's Asian Champions League (ACL) group stages was made yesterday in Kuala Lumpur.
No UAE clubs have made it past the group stage since the competition took its current format three seasons ago.
Baniyas have the toughest group as they have been paired with the Saudi giants Al Ittihad, who reached the semi-finals of the 2011 competition, as well as Pakhtakor, who finished second in the Uzbekistan league, and Al Arabi of Qatar.
Dubai's Al Nasr also have a stern test ahead against Sepahan - the Iranian champions quarter-finalists last time - Saudi's Al Ahli and Lekhwiya, the Qatari champions.
Al Jazira, the Pro League champions, face Al Rayyan (Qatar), Nasaf (Uzbekistan) and the winner of a qualifying play-off likely to come from Iran or Saudi Arabia.
The fourth UAE representatives are Al Shabab. They face a two-legged play-off in February against Neftchi of Uzbekistan, with the winners going into Group D along with Piroozi (Iran) and Al Gharafa (Qatar) as well as Saudi champions Al Hilal.
In the East Asian side of the draw, newly crowned Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol were handed a tough debut as they landed in a "group of death" including this year's runners-up, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Kashiwa, who sealed the J-League title with a last-gasp win on Saturday, were also drawn against Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande, who boast the country's most expensive player, and the yet-to-be-confirmed Thailand champions.
Last month, Jeonbuk missed out on their second Champions League title by a whisker as they went down to Qatar's Al Sadd on penalties.
And Guangzhou, boosted by Argentine midfielder Dario Conca — reportedly one of the world's best-paid footballers — swept to their first ever Chinese title last season by a yawning margin of 15 points.
Kashiwa also head into their first Club World Cup this week after making history by becoming the first team to win Japan's second and first divisions in consecutive seasons.
Al Sadd missed out on the chance of defending their crown after finishing sixth in the Qatari Stars league last season.
The first round of group stage matches will be played on March 20/21, 2012.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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)
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20Specs
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
65
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Company%20profile
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pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
