DUBAI // They came together only last week, but they already are Al Wasl's "Three Amigos", the trio of Spanish-speaking South American imports around whom Diego Maradona hopes to build a league-winning team.
"To play for him is an honour," said Mariano Donda, a midfielder from Argentina. "I am happy to be here for this new venture, and especially under Diego Maradona, who was the best player in the world."
Donda was joined at Wasl yesterday by the Uruguayan striker, Juan Manuel Olivera, and the Chilean midfielder, Edson Puch, at a press conference to introduce them to members of the local media.
They denied feeling extra stress to prove their worth in Maradona's Wasl side, who are likely to receive international scrutiny because of the notoriety of the manager.
"It's not pressure," said Puch, "quite the contrary. I think we are motivated here at Wasl and to play for Diego Maradona, but it's not stress. It's an excitement about playing and a yearning to start the season and create great results."
Olivera and Donda were hand-picked by Maradona, the Fifa co-player of the 20th century (with Pele), and Argentina coach at the 2010 World Cup.
"Maradona called me and wanted me," Donda said, smiling at the memory. "This is a good thing, a good pressure. This is a great opportunity for me."
Donda, 29, played for Godoy Cruz, the Argentine side, and Bari of Italy's Serie A before. He likely will be used as a holding midfielder in Wasl's 4-2-3-1 formation.
Puch, 25 and a former Chilean international, last played at Universidad de Chile. The compact midfielder is expected to take up an attacking role on the left side.
Olivera, 30, is a tall and lean striker who will be at the apex of the Wasl attack. He scored a startling 37 goals in 42 matches in 2009/10 with Universidad de Chile, and most recently played with Penarol in Montevideo.
The triumvirate clearly are individuals. Olivera is the elder statesman, a husband and father who has played in leagues from China to South Korea, Chile and Saudi Arabia.
Puch is the eager little brother, liberally tattooed and playing outside his homeland for the first time. Donda projects an almost European hipster sophistication; he has closely cropped hair and a cool detachment.
But the three already seem at ease with each other and their surroundings.
Olivera and Puch played together on the 2009/10 Universidad de Chile club that won a domestic championship. Olivera and Donda were acquainted before they arrived, and Donda landed in Dubai knowing chapter and verse of the life and times of Diego Armando Maradona, his compatriot.
They also are linked by language. Spanish is one of the most-spoken tongues in the world, but few in the UAE understand it.
"The three of us all speaking Spanish, it's very important," Donda said. "I will be alone for eight months far from my country and my language, but I know I will be able to speak to my teammates and the coaches."
The trio are still getting to know their Emirati teammates, but they expect few difficulties integrating into the side.
"We don't speak much because they have another culture," Donda said. "But our professional culture is on the field, and that is where we need to demonstrate that we are friends, that we are brothers.
"The ball will talk."
They also are adjusting to the local climate; each came to the UAE from the southern hemisphere, where it is winter. Each is expected to play tonight when Maradona makes his UAE coaching debut in a home friendly against Kalba, the Division One side.
Each of the amigos resisted suggestions that Wasl should be expected to win the league.
"We will try very hard," Donda said. "All we can promise is that we will work very hard and play like professionals."
Said Olivera: "For me, the coach and the team, I hope we have a good year. We know it's a strong league with big players, but if we are training well and if we play as a team, we can finish very well."
poberjuerge@thenational.ae
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Company%20Profile
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Copa del Rey final
Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
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7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
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The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
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
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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
