Should Roma become the first champions of European football’s newest senior competition on Wednesday, keep an eye on any hand signals their head coach makes after the final whistle. Jose Mourinho has a history of counting up his honours on his fingers, and making sure his audience gets the message.
He did it more than once when he worked in the Premier League, reminding, with three fingers pointed skywards, that he has been not only the ‘Special One’ in English football, but the Special Two, and the Special Three - a Premier League-winning manager in 2005 and 2006 with Chelsea and, on returning there, a third time in 2015.
He won a pair of league titles each with Porto and Internazionale, too, and a Spanish Liga while in charge of Real Madrid.
But it is his record European competition that is ready for the full spread-out hand, the signal that he will have won five major Uefa trophies, if Roma live up to their billing as favourites in the inaugural Europa Conference League final against Feyenoord in Tirana.
Victory would give Mourinho another rare distinction: Only two coaches have collected a three-strong collection of different possible Uefa prizes. They were Giovanni Trappatoni and Udo Lattek, in the era when there was a European Cup-Winners Cup running alongside the Uefa Cup - now the Europa League - and the principal tournament, the European Cup, or Champions League.
Roma 1-0 Leicester player ratings
Mourinho could join them at the first opportunity within the 22-year era in which he has been a head coach. The Cup-Winners Cup was discontinued in 1999, two years after a young, bumptious, Portuguese had been part of the staff of a Barcelona team, who won that competition. Mourinho was only 34 then, and an assistant to Barca’s then manager Bobby Robson.
He began his own personal sweep of European trophies not long after, guiding Porto to triumph in the Uefa Cup at the end of what was Mourinho’s first full season coaching a club.
More astonishing was what he achieved a year later, in 2004, winning the Champions League with Porto. It remains the last time a club from outside the strongest four leagues in Europe - England, Spain, Germany or Italy - has lifted club’s football’s most prestigious trophy. For that, it may still rank as the finest of Mourinho’s many achievements.
As if to prove he could do it elsewhere, he won his second Champions League with Inter, part of their 2010 treble, and the 2017 Europa League with Manchester United, a highlight in a mixed, often fractious time at Old Trafford.
Five years on, Mourinho cuts a more contented figure than he did at his 2018 United departure, or during an often abrasive, trophy-barren 18 months at Tottenham Hotspur, the job he left shortly before being taken on by Roma ahead of last summer.
Win on Wednesday, albeit in a competition that ranks as Uefa’s third tier, and Roma can say Mourinho has fulfilled an important part of why they hired him: He is the ‘born winner’ they needed.
There have been some bumps along the way. Roma have just finished sixth in Serie A, which means Europa League, not Champions League, football next season.
This European campaign had its low moments. In the group stage, Roma for one chilly evening in Norway looked like fourth-tier imposters in the third-tier Conference League, losing 6-1 to Bodo-Glimt.
Mourinho had rested senior players; some of the understudies he had chosen in their places were publicly criticised by him, and he implied the club had not supported him in the transfer window. Yet Roma spent more than any other Italian club last summer.
A heavy slice of that spending went on Tammy Abraham, signed for €36m from Chelsea, a purchase that Mourinho approved. It proved a fine judgment.
Abraham, 24, has won the hearts of Roma fans and thrived in his first season abroad. He has 27 goals across competitions, many of them vital on the road to Tirana.
He struck the winner against Vitesse in the last-16 round, the equaliser against Bodo-Glimt when Roma met the Norwegians again in the knockout phase and trailed from the first leg, Abraham showing the way to an emphatic 4-0 victory in Rome. He was the match-winner in the semi-final against Leicester City.
“Finals like this are what you dream of as a kid growing up,” said Abraham ahead of the meeting with Feyenoord, easily resisting any idea that the Conference League is a lesser competition.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
RESULTS
5pm: Rated Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Hawafez, Connor Beasley, Abubakar Daud
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Tair, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner: Son Of Normandy, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
![Roma's British forward Tammy Abraham (L) fights for the ball with Leicester's French]defender Wesley Fofana during the UEFA Conference League semi-final second leg football match between AS Roma and Leicester City at The Olympic Stadium in Rome, on May 5, 2022. (Photo by Isabella BONOTTO / AFP)](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/UWEOLWEACVDMOK36IK5DS5BHC4.jpg?smart=true&auth=f4a63792e8f3d588c3babc541bc9e6ae24cff15ccfefe5747b735406dad382bf&width=800&height=450)
