Each week sports reporter Mina Rzouki answers a selection of readers' questions submitted via social media. If you have a question for Mina, you can ask her on either X or Instagram – both @MinaRzouki.
Q: What is ‘football heritage’ and how much of a part does it play in the latter round Uefa Champions League ties?
@daariuz_ via Instagram
A: The term "football heritage" was made popular by Jose Mourinho in his epic 2018 rant when he was in charge of Manchester United.
To those who are not familiar with the term, it relates to the core identity of a club and encompasses the traditions, historical milestones, cultural aspects, and identity tied to football clubs, national teams, players, and the sport in general.
Mourinho spoke of heritage when he was explaining Manchester United’s Uefa Champions League loss to Sevilla. “I say what I feel, I say what I see, and I say what I think," he said following his team's last-16 exit.
“And I think it’s a fair analysis – we’re out to a team that’s not a giant, not a team with the history of Manchester United, not a team with the heritage of Manchester United.”
As it turned out, 2018 was a great year for football heritage chat as it was also the season that Juventus defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League last-16 and Giorgio Chiellini delivered a damning verdict on the North London club.
“It’s the history of the Tottenham,” said the Italian defender. “They always create many chances and score so much but, in the end, they miss always something to arrive at the end. We believe in history.”
Which brings us back to this current season’s Uefa Champions League. History always matters but it’s not the deciding factor.
Take Paris Saint-Germain v Arsenal, for example. I wondered whether the experience of consistent competitive performances in the competition from PSG for more than a decade had helped the French side defeat Arsenal in the first leg.
The Gunners had spent seven campaigns out of the Champions League before reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in 14 years last season.
Both PSG and Arsenal are still building their history in this competition. Luis Enrique’s pedigree, in particular, his heritage if you will, may be the difference maker.
His experience – including his treble-winning season with Barcelona in 2015 – is what drives PSG. He knows what it takes to win.
But in the end, the identity of a club and that of its head coach is a factor in determining a winner but it’s not the determining factor.
Q: Should Aurelio De Laurentiis give Antonio Conte everything he wants at Napoli or accept that he’ll never be satisfied?
Austin_gaius via Instagram
A: Both. For those who need more context, Aurelio De Laurentiis is Napoli’s owner and is famously reticent when it comes to giving his coaches all they demand. Antonio Conte is famous for wanting the best of the best and almost always delivers the club he is in charge of a domestic title.
Conte is on the verge of securing Napoli another scudetto with a squad that’s good but perhaps nowhere near the level of, say, Inter Milan – and others for that matter.
For once, I think his demands are actually reasonable and I cannot fault anything he’s said or complained about this season. He is right when he says that his name brings with it certain expectations – everyone always believes in Conte’s ability to win.
But for him to do so, he must be given the right tools to build a lasting and winning project and that includes a good squad, a great training facility and team co-operation at the highest level. Being tasked with securing success when he has a squad that pales in comparison to others in Serie A is a tough ask.
Napoli finished in 10th last season, a mammoth 41 points behind champions Inter, before losing the services of striker Victor Osimhen – on a season-long loan to Galatasaray – during the summer and then winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to PSG in January.
Brazilian winger David Neres is set to miss the season finale due to a calf problem that is reported to have been brought on by the training-ground pitches at Castel Volturno that are in desperate need of upgrading.
In 2014, Spanish coach Rafa Benitez was asked what Napoli lacked to become a truly big club and he summed it up in one word – infrastructure. More than a decade on and this problem has yet to be addressed.
Many years ago, plans were made to revamp the Castel Volturno facility or construct a new one, but those plans never materialised. Serie A rivals Fiorentina are a clear example of a club that has benefitted from owners investing in their infrastructure.
Right now, Conte is having to play with a makeshift defence without the likes of Alessandro Buongiorno and Juan Jesus. No suitable replacement was found for Kvaratskhelia, with Swiss forward Noah Okafor proving not up to the task after joining on loan from AC Milan.
Napoli are only playing once a week but Conte has achieved a lot with a little this season.
The Italian has been forced to adapt his tactics, to change formations and vary his approach throughout the season. He is the reason Napoli fans may celebrate at the end of the season.
Q: Philippe Coutinho is still an Aston Villa player, any chance of him being brought back in?
@duanepatrickphotography via Instagram
A: Like most, I completely forgot he’s still a Villa player. Just a few days ago, I was reading about the player’s relationship with Jurgen Klopp during his time at Liverpool.
Klopp is said to have offered the player some advice, telling him: “Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honour. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more.”
The Brazilian never fulfilled his promise after he left Liverpool for Barca in 2018 for a jaw-dropping £142 million. He returned to the Premier League with Villa – who were then managed by his former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard – on loan in January 2022 before making the move permanent four months later in a cut-price £17m deal.
Coutinho, though, failed to reach anywhere near the heights of his spell on Merseyside and was loaned out to Qatari club Al Duhail in 2023 before returning to his childhood club Vasco da Gama last summer, also in a temporary move.
The Brazilian club are desperate to keep him and made a move to sign Coutinho on a free transfer last summer, but Aston Villa declined, not wanting to register a financial loss on their accounts.
His contract ends in 2026 and Vasco are pushing to extend the loan or have the player terminate his contract with Villa.
I cannot see a return to Villa benefitting club or player. Coutinho appears to be prioritising a stay in Brazil, where he is also involved with a non-profit organisation that focuses on player development and education of young people.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
RESULT
Manchester United 1 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Man United: Dunk (66' og)
Man of the Match: Shane Duffy (Brighton)
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdullah%20Khan%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPenguin%20Random%20House%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E304%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lupita%20Nyong'o%2C%20Joseph%20Quinn%2C%20Djimon%20Hounsou%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMichael%20Sarnoski%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
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.
SPECS
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
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
The five pillars of Islam
Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Men's football draw
Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica
Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea
Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA
Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
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