It was not supposed to be like this at Malaga. When Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, took over last summer after buying the Primera Liga club for €36 million (Dh182.2m), he spoke of a bright new dawn for a club who have yo-yoed between the top two divisions.
Malaga would challenge Real Madrid and Barcelona. They would build a new stadium to seat 65,000, despite their average crowds of 17,000 being fine in the modern, 29,000-capacity Estadio La Rosaleda.
His statements were taken with a pinch of salt, but Malaga's wage bill ranked sixth in the league and the respected Jesualdo Ferreira was appointed as coach. Seven new players were brought in before the season started, including one for a club-record €3.5m.
Hopes were high but have slumped desperately as Malaga sit bottom of the league, a position in which they are expected to remain with just 11 games left.
Their season started poorly and got worse. Ferreira was sacked after 10 games and replaced by Manuel Pellegrini, the intelligent coach who enjoyed so much success at Villarreal that Real Madrid appointed him last season.
Pellegrini and a respected new sporting director, Antonio Fernandez, oversaw a spending spree in an otherwise quiet January transfer window in Spain as Malaga sought to buy their way out of trouble. The highly rated Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo came on loan, as did the Argentinian international Martin Dimichelis, from Bayern Munich.
The Madrid midfielder Julio Baptista also arrived at a cost of €2.5m, as well as Enzo Maresca, once of Juventus, West Brom and Sevilla. Meanwhile, the players who had been bought in the close season were sparsely used.
Malaga's latest batch of new signings have made little difference. True, they have played Barcelona, Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia and Real Madrid away since the turn of the year, but they are sinking fast and their cause is not helped by the lowly teams around them picking up points.
Following a rare win against relegation rivals Almeria recently - their first in eight games - Malaga rested key players for their next match against Real Madrid and were beaten 7-0 in the Bernabeu.
Pellegrini claimed it was all part of a master plan which involved losing to Madrid and then beating relegation rivals Osasuna three days later.
He said it would be "irresponsible" to beat Madrid and then lose at home to Osasuna.
Most coaches may think the same. They know that they are not going to beat a Madrid side away who have won every game at the Bernabeu, but to say so publicly is another thing.
The Spanish media hammered Pellegrini, but the Malaga fans retained faith in the Chilean. For the Osasuna game, they filled the Rosaleda for the first time this season and got behind their side in a match billed as a final. And given that Osasuna had not won away for over a year, surely Malaga could triumph. Instead, the Osasuna defender Sergio Fernandez scored a superb 92nd-minute winner to condemn Malaga to yet another defeat.
At the foot of the table, Malaga are two points behind Almeria, three behind Hercules and four from safety. There are more worrying signs and not just on the playing front for a team which has used five goalkeepers so far this season.
The Qatari owners have been seen less and less around the club, while the acting chief executive recently flew to Qatar to ask for €25m. Players complained that they were not paid in February, while rivals have done likewise for not receiving transfer fees. Just six players have started more than half the league matches, a source of discontent.
Pellegrini has arguably his toughest job yet.
sports@thenational.ae
Italy: Roma need a rescue
Troubled Roma take on Lazio in the city derby tomorrow desperate to save their season after being eliminated from the Champions League in midweek.
They lost 6-2 on aggregate to Shakhtar Donetsk and go into the derby encounter in need of a victory to cut the five-point deficit on their rivals, who occupy the fourth and last Champions League qualifying spot.
Roma have won the side’s two previous meetings this season, but with Claudio Ranieri having left last month, the new coach Vincenzo Montella is now feeling the heat.
“A month ago we were all brilliant players so I don’t know why people are thinking differently now,” he said. “Nobody goes out there to lose. We know what the atmosphere will be like and the fans should know we’ll be giving it our all.”
Germany: 100 not out for Lahm
Philipp Lahm, the Bayern Munich defender, will make his 100th consecutive start as his team face Hamburg SV today, having played in every Bayern game since April 2009.
“Obviously there are days when you get tired or are a bit injured,” the German international told the club website.
“But this run is good because it shows that I have stayed healthy for a long time.”
Lahm, who has missed only 15 minutes in his last 99 games, being taken off in a German Cup game in 2009, said part of his healthy regime was sleeping for almost 10 hours a night. “I sleep a lot, on average about nine-and-a-half hours. It makes me feel good.”
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund could be without their top striker Lucas Barrios (calf) and the centre-back Mats Hummels (trapped nerve) when the league leaders play against Hoffenheim today, according to their coach, Juergen Klopp.
France: Vital time for Nancy
Reynald Lemaitre, the Nancy defender, believes it is vital that his side emerge victorious from their contests with the teams around them who are also fighting to avoid the drop to Ligue 2.
Nancy are one place and three points above the relegation zone heading into today’s match against Caen, with their opponents three points better off in 14th place.
Asked if this game could be a turning point in Nancy’s season, Lemaitre told his club’s website: “Yes, clearly. The next game against Monaco [who are 18th] is vital, as well, because we need points. A win would do us much good in the standings, but also boost us mentally. In this very tight league where six or seven teams will fight to maintain their place in the top flight, it is very important to negotiate these direct confrontations.”
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Company%20Profile
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Royal Birkdale Golf Course
Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
Established: 1889
Type: Private
Total holes: 18
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD
Stan%20Lee
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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
DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
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Company%20profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
