Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard believes their highly-rated squad can cope with the weight of expectation being heaped on them ahead of this year’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
“We have a lot of players who can deal with the pressure. We have young players too. We are used to performing at a high level under pressure,” he told reporters on Tuesday as the squad prepared to take on Ivory Coast in a friendly international.
With a sparkling array of talent plying their trade in the English Premier League, including Chelsea’s Hazard, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, Everton’s on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku, Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Vertonghen and Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, Belgium are dark horses to win the World Cup.
The draw was relatively kind to them too with Algeria, Russia and South Korea alongside them in Group H.
“We are not the favourites for the World Cup but we are the favourites for the group,” Hazard told a news conference. “But we have to deal with that and make sure that we qualify.”
Kompany, fresh from lifting the League Cup for Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, said the favourites would be the usual suspects but Belgium would be dangerous floaters.
“In reality, who are the favourites? They’re Germany, Brazil, Argentina and Spain,” he said. “Everybody knows that. They are the favourites, but apart from them, there is a group of teams that can be dangerous.
“We are amongst those teams that can be dangerous. I don’t think that we will win the World Cup only with talent.”
Belgium reached their first World Cup finals since 2002 after comfotably winning their qualifying group with eight wins and two draws from their 10 games.
Hazard is also disputing Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho’s assertion that the attacking midfielder is due a rest, the 23-year-old insisting that he plays consistently better when fed a steady diet of action.
“I don’t need rest, as I’ve said before, I’m at my best if I can play a lot of matches. But I must be aware that I don’t let myself burn out,” he told the country’s daily Het Laatste Nieuws in an interview published on Wednesday.
“I’m in a good rhythm, I’m getting a lot of game time. I did feel a little down in the first half against Fulham but it went much better in the second half,” he said of Saturday’s 3-1 win in the London derby which saw Chelsea move four points clear at the top of the Premier league.
Before the match, Mourinho had told reporters he was hoping Hazard would not play in the midweek international.
“He needs a rest,” the Chelsea manager said last Friday.
“It’d be perfect if his national coach did not play him.
“He can not have a rest in the club. In the national team he doesn’t have to play friendly matches.
“He needs a rest and they could give him a rest. It’s important for us and I prefer him on the pitch even if he’s tired because I know he can produce things.”
Hazard would not start for Belgium against the Ivorians but was expecting to come on from the bench, he said.
“I spoke to the coach (Marc Wilmots) about it and we will see how long I will play. He understands the situation, he’s not stupid. He knows I’m playing a lot.”
Hazard told the Belgian daily he was in the best form of his career.
“That shows in the statistics and in the succession of matches in which I’ve played well. In my last season at Lille, I also had a good run, similar to now. I hope it will continue and that I will profit with both Belgium as well as Chelsea.”
Hazard said his relationship with Mourinho was also going well.
“I find we have a normal relationship. If there are things to be said, he says them. If you are playing well, he says so. But if you are not, you also get to hear about it,” he added.
“I prefer it if people say things to my face. He might be called the ‘Special One’ but to me he is the ‘Normal One’.”
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.
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)
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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SPECS
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
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SPECS
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company%20Profile
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Specs
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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.
