Edouard Mendy has arrived in Abu Dhabi to take part in Chelsea's Fifa Club World Cup campaign, and the goalkeeper was met with cheers and applause from his teammates after his instrumental role in Senegal's Africa Cup of Nations triumph.
Mendy, 29, was named goalkeeper of the tournament as Senegal ended their long wait for a first Afcon title by defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties after Sunday's final in Cameroon ended goalless after extra time.
After celebrating Senegal's success and taking part in a trophy parade which attracted thousands of people in Dakar, Mendy made his way to the UAE to reunite with his club as they prepare to begin their Club World Cup mission against Asian champions Al Hilal on Wednesday evening.
In a clip posted to Chelsea's Twitter account, Mendy could be seen shaking hands and hugging his teammates as players and staff applauded their goalkeeper on his arrival.
Mendy, who seven years ago was without a club and registered for unemployment, is enjoying a remarkably successful spell since joining Chelsea at the start of last season. He has won the Uefa Champions League and reached two further finals with his club, and was named The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper for 2021.
Fresh from winning the Afcon title, Mendy will now aim to help Chelsea win the Club World Cup, with South American champions Palmeiras awaiting the the Blues in the final if they get past Al Hilal.
However, it remains unclear whether Mendy will start the game against Hilal so soon after arriving, with understudy Kepa Arrizabalaga excelling in his absence.
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice
Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying
Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on Quran memorisation:
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
