It’s an imposing place, the Estadio do Dragao in Porto, modern enough to satisfy the needs of a major final even if, on Saturday, the number of spectators is limited by public health protocols.
The Dragao has also been around long enough to house many proud, vivid memories. Portugal won the inaugural Nations League there. Porto, the usual tenants, have launched Champions League and Europa League triumphs from its base.
On his approach to the Dragao ahead of his first European Cup final, Chelsea’s Thiago Silva will carry a mix of personal recollections. This was once his home ground, although it would be inaccurate to report he ever made himself feel at home there.
Thiago signed for Porto when the stadium was still gleamingly new, the European Cup freshly installed in its vaults. The year was 2004, and he had just made the journey almost every ambitious Brazilian footballer aspires to, across the Atlantic with a contract at a storied European club.
Thiago was about to turn 20. Porto had positions available at centre-back, the role Thiago had converted to in his late teens, bringing to it a natural authority and the passing skills of a former midfielder.
Yet he never played a match for the Porto first-team, always kept back in the Porto B squad. His experience of a full, roaring Dragao was only as a spectator. The Porto episode was over fast. Within six months, he had been transferred to Dynamo Moscow.
That was when things started going badly, terrifyingly, wrong. He arrived in Russia with a cough and temperature. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis, so grave and debilitating that doctors contemplated removing a portion of one lung. He spent six months in a Moscow hospital, unable to speak Russian with the attendant staff, weak and isolated. TB can kill. Thiago would later admit there were times he thought he would lose his life in that hospital.
His treatment was eventually successful, and, returning to his native Rio de Janeiro to build up his strength, he began to believe he might play football again. It would not be in Europe, he supposed, after the misadventure at Porto, the bad experience in Moscow.
The relaunch of Thiago, the Rolls-Royce centre-back, would instead be with Rio’s Fluminese, and in time, the Brazil national team, for whom he was first called up in 2007, and made part of the 2008 Olympic Games squad.
City and Chelsea stars' previous best appearances in Champions League
From there, he soared. He has been to three World Cups, and skippered his country at two of them, such a dominant figure with Brazil that among the international team-mates he greets on Saturday in the Manchester City squad there are effectively two generations who have served under his captaincy: his contemporary Fernandinho, with whom he first lined up for his country almost ten years ago; and Gabriel Jesus, who has tested the pace of Thiago in practice sessions over the last five years.
Thiago is 36 now, so it is safe to report there is no issue with those lungs and hasn’t been for a decade and a half. AC Milan were more than satisfied with his health, enchanted by his potential, when they invited Thiago for his second adventure in European club football in 2009. After three seasons and a Serie A title at Milan, he joined Paris Saint-Germain as the then most expensive defender in football history.
Eight years in Paris yielded seven Ligue 1 titles under four different coaches, the last of who, Thomas Tuchel, developed an especially close relationship with his leader on the pitch. “Apart from being a very good coach he’s a sensational guy,” Thiago said shortly after moving to Chelsea last summer. “He remotivated me. I think I had my best two seasons there with him. I’m grateful.”
By a stroke of luck, Thiago and Tuchel would be reunited in January, Tuchel appointed at Chelsea soon after he had been sacked by PSG - and less than six months after he had been angered by PSG’s decision not to renew Thiago’s contract beyond the player’s 36th birthday.
Tuchel and Thiago cannot help but feel their reunion somehow fated. Thiago’s last PSG match was a Champions League final, the 1-0 defeat to Bayern in Lisbon last August and the farewell to Tuchel after that was emotional.
Neither foresaw they would be back in contention, together, for a European Cup showdown at the first opportunity. Nor that it would be at a Dragao stadium that never quite appreciated what a giant of the game Thiago would become.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
FIXTURES
Saturday
5.30pm: Shabab Al Ahli v Al Wahda
5.30pm: Khorfakkan v Baniyas
8.15pm: Hatta v Ajman
8.15pm: Sharjah v Al Ain
Sunday
5.30pm: Kalba v Al Jazira
5.30pm: Fujairah v Al Dhafra
8.15pm: Al Nasr v Al Wasl
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH DETAILS
Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)
Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)
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."
The Bio
Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.
Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.
Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.
Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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.
Hidden killer
Sepsis arises when the body tries to fight an infection but damages its own tissue and organs in the process.
The World Health Organisation estimates it affects about 30 million people each year and that about six million die.
Of those about three million are newborns and 1.2 are young children.
Patients with septic shock must often have limbs amputated if clots in their limbs prevent blood flow, causing the limbs to die.
Campaigners say the condition is often diagnosed far too late by medical professionals and that many patients wait too long to seek treatment, confusing the symptoms with flu.
Quick%20facts
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EStorstockholms%20Lokaltrafik%20(SL)%20offers%20free%20guided%20tours%20of%20art%20in%20the%20metro%20and%20at%20the%20stations%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20tours%20are%20free%20of%20charge%3B%20all%20you%20need%20is%20a%20valid%20SL%20ticket%2C%20for%20which%20a%20single%20journey%20(valid%20for%2075%20minutes)%20costs%2039%20Swedish%20krone%20(%243.75)%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETravel%20cards%20for%20unlimited%20journeys%20are%20priced%20at%20165%20Swedish%20krone%20for%2024%20hours%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAvoid%20rush%20hour%20%E2%80%93%20between%209.30%20am%20and%204.30%20pm%20%E2%80%93%20to%20explore%20the%20artwork%20at%20leisure%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
