ALBACETE // The Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has played down his angry reaction to being substituted against Bosnia-Herzegovina during his side's World Cup qualifying victory on Saturday.
The Spain coach coach Vicente del Bosque, whose team host Armenia tomorrow, replaced the Arsenal player with Xabi Alonso in the 65th minute of the encounter, not long after the his pinpoint through-ball had helped David Villa net the only goal of the game in Murcia.
And though he admits he was not best pleased by the switch, Fabregas, 21, insists he has nothing to apologise for, saying: "The day that they replace me and I'm not angry I will leave football.
"It's normal that you think like that when you've been taken off. It's not a lack of respect for anybody for wanting to be a better player every day.
"The most important thing is that we won and that we've started the qualification phase with three points. We had it tough to break down their defence, but we did it."
Fabregas, who has made 33 appearances for his country but only played in five full matches, added: "They always change me when we are winning. This suggests that I need to be better in defence to be a more complete midfielder.
"I want to improve, to be a complete midfielder and show to everyone that I can play in both positions, as much in attack as defence."
Meanwhile, Fabregas's fellow midfielder Andres Iniesta is hoping to see the European champions put on a good show against Armenia in his home town Albacete.
"On Wednesday there is every incentive to have a good game," he said. "I think it was a good game [against Bosnia-Herzegovina]. In the second half we played a faster game, we created quite a few chances and scored a goal."
* Reuters
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
}Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
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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.
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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.
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The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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.
The specs
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Power: 154bhp
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