Friendship put to one side

For three years Frank Rijkaard and Henk Ten Cate shared unbridled success at Barcelona. Back-to-back La Liga titles in 2004/05 and 2005/06 as well as the 2006 Champions League title helped make the Spanish side the force they are today. Then the pair's hopes were just as quickly stubbed out. Tonight they find themselves on opposite sides and in surroundings few would have imagined when they lifted Europe's biggest club prize three years ago.

Rijkaard, now technical director at Galatasaray, will host Ten Cate's Panathinaikos in the Europa League. A point for the visitors would see them both qualify for the last 32 from Group F. Together they were formidable. Rijkaard's quiet demeanour complemented by the fiery Ten Cate, who helped keep egos in check at Camp Nou. When the latter left in 2006 to take up the managerial post at Ajax, things took a downward turn for both men.

Ten Cate spent a year at his hometown club before becoming the assistant to Avram Grant at Chelsea. Many predicted he was preparing for Rijkaard's arrival, but departed last year when Luiz Felipe Scolari took over the reins at Stamford Bridge. Ten Cate's fellow Dutchman was similarly looking for work after leaving Barcelona, unable to find the winning formula following the departure of his trusted right-hand man.

Now they stand alone, trying to restore their reputations in neighbouring countries and at clubs with fanatical followers with high ambitions. As ever, reaching the Champions League is the main target. Rijkaard's side, fourth in the Super Lig, contains a sprinkling of familiar names and ones who, like their coach, are also looking to return to better times. Players such as the Brazilian playmaker Elano, Milan Baros, Shabani Nonda, who had a disappointing loan spell at Blackburn, and Harry Kewell.

That final trio have accounted for 34 of the club's goals this season with Kewell, particularly, enjoying a new lease of life after ending an injury-plagued 13-year stint in the Premier League. Galatasaray's last major European trophy was the Uefa Cup in 2000, but Kewell believed Rijkaard can revive their fortunes. "We've got a great manager now and the players are learning a lot so only good things are going to come from this team," he said.

"Rijkaard's given me confidence. You always have to prove yourself and he keeps you on your toes. If you are slacking he will let you know, but he tells you in a nice way." That has generally been Rijkaard's style of management. Ten Cate joked that he would kill Rijkaard if he left Athens with all three points when the sides first met two months ago. Galatasaray won 3-1, but Rijkaard will welcome Ten Cate for the return at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium.

The friends will celebrate Rijkaard's wife giving birth to a baby boy and Ten Cate's 55th birthday next week, but on the pitch they will be adversaries. Ten Cate will return to Holland at the end of the season to join Go Ahead Eagles. Claiming the Europa League would be a fitting farewell to his time in Greece. For Rijkaard, the same could mean a step back to the biggest stage once more. @Email:akhan@thenational.ae

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: HyperSpace

Started: 2020

Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment

Number of staff: 210

Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

How it works

Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.

Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.

As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.

A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.

Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Kanguva

Director: Siva

Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley

Rating: 2/5

Company%20profile

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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20

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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

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.

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

In-demand jobs and monthly salaries

Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000

Company%20Profile

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Almnssa

Started: August 2020

Founder: Areej Selmi

Based: Gaza

Sectors: Internet, e-commerce

Investments: Grants/private funding

Famous left-handers

- Marie Curie

- Jimi Hendrix

- Leonardo Di Vinci

- David Bowie

- Paul McCartney

- Albert Einstein

- Jack the Ripper

- Barack Obama

- Helen Keller

- Joan of Arc

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

UAE rugby in numbers

5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons

700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams

Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams

Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season

Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season

Super Saturday race card

4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m