The omens were not good for unbeaten Barcelona. Missing most of their regular defenders, they travelled to play inconsistent Atletico Madrid, whose 55,000 capacity Vicente Calderon was a cauldron of anti-Catalan sentiment and chants of "Viva Espana!" Barca had lost in three of their last four visits to the south side of Madrid and only won once in seven.
When Pep Guardiola, their coach, correctly insisted that Atletico were favourites, few believed him. Brilliant Barca, people thought, were indomitable even with injuries.
Barca's defence featured Maxwell at left back - starting his second game in succession for the first time in his Camp Nou career.
Gabi Milito was alongside him at centre-half, the injury-prone Argentine starting only his second game in two years. Alongside him was Carles Puyol, the captain and the only recognised defender from this season, hoping to steady a back line which featured young left winger, Jeffren, playing at right-back.
Life got much tougher for Barca three minutes into the game when Seydou Keita, their key midfielder, pulled up with a hamstring problem. They were forced to shuffle their pack again, but the fragilities were exposed after just eight minutes when in-form Jose Antonio Reyes sliced past three players to set up Diego Forlan.
The Uruguayan seldom misses when gifted a one-on-one position. Such has been Barca's form this season, it was the first time they have been behind in any league game.
The Catalans were two down after 22 minutes, when Simao struck a sublime free-kick around the Barca wall. I interviewed the Portuguese winger recently and had always been suspicious of him because of his cocky demeanour.
Craig Bellamy invokes the same feeling. You just take to some players and not to others but I could not have been more wrong. Simao, who was so close to signing for Liverpool in 2007 that flights had been booked, was bright, cogent, witty and understood English perfectly.
Barca were stung and uncharacteristically struggling, but they quickly rallied and Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled one back four minutes later, the Swede volleying home his first goal in two months after Puyol had headed a corner into his path.
Three goals inside the first half hour saw people expecting the blizzard that has been commonplace in previous fixtures between these two clubs. It was not to be. Atletico's defence played with a discipline seldom seen, while their 19-year-old goalkeeper David Gea was outstanding.
Thierry Henry may have been on the Barca bench, but defence was Barca's problem and he sat alongside relative unknown youngsters like Jonathan dos Santos and the two Marcs - Muniesa and Bartra.
With their finely honed system lacking key components, Barca struggled to circulate the ball and dominate the game against an Atleti side brimming with pace and counter-attacking flair.
Guardiola was graceful in defeat, his Atleti equivalent Quique Sanchez Flores ecstatic after becoming the first team to beat Barca in the league this season. Their lead has been cut to two points over Real Madrid and the title race intensified, with the pair set to meet at the Bernabeu in April when Guardiola will hope to have more regular defenders at their disposal.
"The first defeat - but we're still leaders," said the headline on the Catalan daily Sport. "Atletico do Madrid a favour" said the capital-based Marca.
It was heartache for Barca on Valentine's Day, but like all heartache, they will no doubt get over it. But with Real pursuing the same trophies, there is no margin for error.
@Email:sports@thenational.ae
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
Bio
Age: 25
Town: Al Diqdaqah – Ras Al Khaimah
Education: Bachelors degree in mechanical engineering
Favourite colour: White
Favourite place in the UAE: Downtown Dubai
Favourite book: A Life in Administration by Ghazi Al Gosaibi.
First owned baking book: How to Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The Laughing Apple
Yusuf/Cat Stevens
(Verve Decca Crossover)
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
