When Al Hilal finally ended their extended pursuit of a top-class marquee signing to match those of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr and Al Ittihad's Karim Benzema, fans were elated that a summer search that saw their club flirt with the likes of Bernardo Silva and Victor Osimhen ended with them landing the player who would soon be Brazil’s all-time top scorer.
But for anyone who had watched the career of the flamboyant forward, from his early days at Santos, to the highs of Barcelona’s unstoppable MSN trio alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, to the short-lived triple threat alongside Messi and Kylian Mbappe at PSG, Neymar’s injury record was the standout concern.
Since the start of 2018, Neymar had missed a total of 144 matches for club and country, an average of just under 29 matches that he was unavailable for every calendar year. By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo, six years his senior, missed only 20 matches through injury during the same period.
Indeed, when Al Hilal announced the signing of the iconic number 10, they had to manage the expectations of their supporters, with the Brazilian still recovering from ankle surgery he underwent in March.
Al Hilal fans had to wait for a month before they could see their prized asset in action, making his debut off the bench in the 6-1 thumping of Al Riyadh, where played for 26 minutes and provided an assist for his compatriot Malcom.
Over the course of the next three weeks, he would start and complete 90 minutes on four occasions between the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League, contributing a goal and an assist as he gradually started to adapt to life in Saudi Arabia.
The Brazilian had to be left out of the squad for the trip to Al Okhdood as he instead flew to Sao Paulo to celebrate the birth of his daughter Mavie with girlfriend Bruna Biancardi.
Little did Al Hilal know that it would be the last they see of their new talisman in a while. With the international break rolling around just after, Neymar linked up with his national team, setting up Gabriel Magalhaes’ goal with from a corner as the Selecao drew with Venezuela 1-1.
On Tuesday night, Neymar was carried off the pitch in agony after picking up what looked like a potentially serious knee injury after tussling for the ball with Nicolas De la Cruz.
Despite no official confirmation yet, Neymar could be out of action for an extended period, delivering a blow to Al Hilal’s hopes of regaining the Saudi Pro League title they had lost to Al Ittihad last season.
Nine games into the season, Al Hilal sit top of the table, but their lead on second-placed Al Taawoun is a solitary point, with Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli breathing down their necks.
In their next six games, Al Hilal face Al Taawoun as well as powerhouses Al Ahli and Al Nassr, two of the title favourites. Sandwiched in between those difficult SPL games are AFC Champions League trips to India and Uzbekistan where they face Mumbai City and a Navbahor side that had held them to a 1-1 draw in Riyadh last month.
Neymar’s four goal contributions in six matches is far from the highest in the team, but since he took his place in the starting XI, the Brazilian has made a notable impact on the quality and level of creativity in Jorge Jesus’ side, slotting seamlessly into the number 10 position in front of Ruben Neves and Sergei Milinkovic-Savic and playing off the main striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
In his absence, midfielder Mohammed Kanno and winger Michael could be the main beneficiaries, with the former likely to be deployed to anchor the midfield in bigger games and the latter taking up a role on the wing should Salem Al Dawsari be moved centrally as the most advanced of the midfield three.
For Al Hilal fans, just as was the case with those of Barcelona and PSG, possessing one of the games most talented players ever is always a blessing and a pain as it is inevitable that whatever club he represents, will have to learn to navigate extended stretches of the season without him.
It is now time for Jesus to go through that experience and carve a path forward for Al Hilal to remain competitive without their star player.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Valladolid v Osasuna (Kick-off midnight UAE)
Saturday Valencia v Athletic Bilbao (5pm), Getafe v Sevilla (7.15pm), Huesca v Alaves (9.30pm), Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Real Sociedad v Eibar (5pm), Real Betis v Villarreal (7.15pm), Elche v Granada (9.30pm), Barcelona v Levante (midnight)
Monday Celta Vigo v Cadiz (midnight)
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Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
