Saudi club Al Nassr parted ways with manager Rudi Garcia on Thursday after less than a year in charge amid reports of dressing-room tensions and just days before a crunch game against Al Hilal.
"Al Nassr can announce that head coach Rudi Garcia has left the Club by mutual agreement. The board and everyone at Al Nassr would like to thank Rudi and his staff for their dedicated work during the past eight months," the club said in a statement.
Garcia criticised the players after they drew 0-0 with lowly Al Feiha on Sunday in another blow to their hopes of a first Saudi Pro League title since 2019. The game also saw star signing Cristiano Ronaldo storm down the tunnel as tensions boiled over.
Al Nassr had 18 attempts on goal against Al Feiha and 38-year-old Ronaldo struck a shot straight at opposition keeper Vladimir Stojkovic in the 68th minute.
Ronaldo, who has scored 11 goals in 10 league games for Al Nassr, then fired twice over the bar in the space of six minutes. Brazilian Anderson Talisca, the league's top scorer, also had a frustrating outing.
Ronaldo looked furious as he left the pitch, removing his captain's armband and even exchanging angry words with an opposition player.
According to reports, Garcia's frayed relationship with the players prompted the club to make the decision.
Following the draw against Feiha, Garcia did not hold back as he criticised the players.
"The result is definitely bad and we are not happy," the French coach told Saudi Sports Company.
"I don’t feel satisfied with the players' performance. I asked them to play at the same level as the last game [in the 5-0 victory against Al Adalah], but this didn’t happen."
Al Nassr, who signed Ronaldo in a deal believed to be worth more than $200 million a year, have collected seven points from their last four league games, dropping to second place in the table, three points behind leaders Al Ittihad with seven games left in the season.
"There are seven games left, we will try to recover, and we realise that it’s not easy after we lost two points, but everything is possible," Garcia had said.
But they will now have to do so without Garcia. Their Under-19 coach Dinko Jelicic will take charge of the team for now. Nassr play Hilal next Tuesday.
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Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Racecard
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
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Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
