When Napoli played Arsenal in London, earlier this month, at the Emirates Cup tournament used to gauge pre-season preparations, the visitors endured plenty of jeering from the Arsenal loyalists. Most of it was reserved for Napoli's new coach Rafa Benitez, some of it for the new goalkeeper Pepe Reina and a few boos for the new striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Benitez is used to that in the English capital. His work with Liverpool over six years in the Premier League means he is so strongly associated with the Anfield club that elsewhere in England he will always be a rival, a perception which coloured the period, last season, after he was appointed as the stop-gap "interim manager" at Chelsea.
Reina's Anfield past - eight years there - explains why he was singled out. As for Higuain, envy informed the animosity. The striker had been close to joining Arsenal, in July, from Real Madrid, before Napoli clinched the deal.
At the San Paolo tomorrow, all three men, and several others new to Italian football and to the unique city they now call home, will hear something altogether more encouraging as they line up against Bologna. Napoli's stadium may be a little worn, old-fashioned, but its passions are rousing for those it takes to its heart.
The place might just suit Benitez, who made his excellent reputation as a coach at Valencia, guided them to two underdog Spanish titles in the face of the economic, historical and metropolitan might of Madrid and Barcelona. And he might find aspects of Napoli's strong regional pride reminiscent of Liverpool, whom he guided to two Uefa Champions League finals, winning one of them.
What he will hope is that his second adventure in Serie A is more enduring and happier than his first. "I have missed Italy," Benitez said when Napoli decided the caretaker coach who had just taken Chelsea to victory in the Europa League would be the better-than-caretaker successor to Walter Mazzarri on their bench.
What Benitez has not missed, even when Chelsea fans were making him feel unwelcome, are the tense, rancorous days at Inter Milan in charge of a tired, ageing squad who had just achieved the 2010 treble. Benitez lasted six months there.
The Napoli assignment is different. The club president, Aurelio de Laurentiis, presented Benitez with an equation back in June. He knew Edinson Cavani, the prolific striker, would be leaving but assured the new coach the funds yielded from the sale of Cavani - €64 million (Dh314m) to Paris St Germain - would be Benitez's to reinvest.
Higuain looks a coup, not just because Napoli beat back competition from Arsenal. The Argentinian, 25, struck more than 20 goals a season in three of his six full Liga campaigns with Real Madrid, where he almost always faced stiff competition for a starting berth. He is an intelligent operator, and seems buoyed by the confidence shown in him by Alex Sabella, Argentina's coach. Higuain is Sabella's preferred partner up front for Lionel Messi and has been outscoring Messi in the latest round of qualifiers for the national team.
With the attacking support of Marek Hamsik, leading provider of assists in the last Serie A season; Lorenzo Insigne, the hometown favourite; Goran Pandev, who Benitez knows from his Inter period; and the new arrivals Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens, Napoli have talent and depth in attack.
The Spain internationals Reina and the central defender Raul Albiol add experience at the back, where Benitez will probably make alterations on Mazzari's trademark formation, a back three with wing-backs.
Mazzarri's legacy is a significant one. Napoli, where he took over only two seasons after their promotion from Serie B, reached the knockout stage of the Champions League in 2012; last May's runners-up spot in the league represented the highest finish for the club in 23 years.
De Laurentiis asks of Benitez that his Napoli push simultaneously in the title race and in Europe's senior club tournament. Benitez, no longer carrying the "interim" job description that Chelsea gracelessly hung on him, has the know-how and resources to meet that expectation.
sports@thenational.ae
Fixtures
Today
Verona v AC Milan 8pm
Sampdoria v Juventus 10.45pm
Tomorrow
Inter v Genoa 8pm
Cagliari v Atalanta 10.45pm
Lazio v Udinese 10.45pm
Livorno v Roma 10.45pm
Napoli v Bologna 10.45pm
Parma v Chievo Verona 10.45pm
Torino v Sassuolo 10.45pm
Monday
Fiorentina v Catania 10.45pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit
As he spoke, Mr Aboul Gheit repeatedly referred to the need to tackle issues affecting the welfare of people across the region both in terms of preventing conflict and in pushing development.
Lebanon is scheduled to host the fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in January that will see regional leaders gather to tackle the challenges facing the Middle East. The last such summit was held in 2013. Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki told The National that the Beirut Summit “will be an opportunity for Arab leaders to discuss solely economic and social issues, the conference will not focus on political concerns such as Palestine, Syria or Libya". He added that its slogan will be “the individual is at the heart of development”, adding that it will focus on all elements of human capital.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
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Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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