Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane insists he is not concerned about reports that he will be sacked if his side fail to progress from the Champions League group stage.
The 13-time European champions, who have never failed to make it out of the group stage, host Group B leaders Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday needing to better Shakhtar Donetsk's result against Inter Milan in order to progress.
Local media reports suggest that Zidane will be forced out should Real not go through to the last 16, however the Frenchman insisted his only focus is on getting the three points, rather than his future.
After last week's Champions League defeat at Shakhtar Donetsk, Zidane said that he had no intention of resigning despite the 2-0 loss that left his team's qualifying hopes in the balance.
"The club will do what they have to do [in the event of not qualifying], as they always do, but I'm only thinking about the game," Zidane told a news conference.
"I'm not thinking about anything else other than winning. I'm focused on tomorrow's game and we know what we have to do. It'll be tough, but we need to be able to walk off the pitch satisfied with our work.
"We know there's another game going on [Inter versus Shakhtar], but we're only thinking about our game. We're up against a tough side who will make life difficult for us.
"We know exactly what the situation is. We want to get the three points and finish top of the group; that's what we're all thinking about. All matches are important but this is a great chance to show what we are as a team."
Zidane will welcome back captain Sergio Ramos to the side after the defender missed the last six games through injury.
Full back Dani Carvajal also took a full part in training on Tuesday, having been absent for the side's last four matches. However, forward Luka Jovic will miss out after suffering an adductor problem.
Monchengladbach manager Marco Rose warned his players not to take anything for granted, despite being so close to qualifying for the next stage.
Gladbach could have made sure of qualification last week but instead lost to Inter 3-2 at home. "Such teams [like Real] function best under pressure," Rose said. "We also saw that against Inter Milan.
"Playing for a draw is never a wise decision. We know what to expect and that we will need to defend really hard and with passion. But we also know that with our quality we will get our chances to be successful."
_________________________________________________________________________
Gallery: Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Real Madrid 0
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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
RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
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Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
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THE%20SPECS
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Jalal Al Daaja (JOR) beat Hamza Bougamza (MAR)
Catchweight 67kg: Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) beat Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) beat Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg: Mosatafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) beat Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight: Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) beat Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78KG: Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight: Sallah-Eddine Dekhissi (MAR) beat Abdel Enam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg: Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG) beat Rachid Hazoume (MAR)
Lightweight: Mohammed Yahya (UAE) beat Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg: Souhil Tahiri (ALG) beat Omar Hussein (PAL)
Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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Rating: 5/5
The specs
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- Power: 640hp
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- On sale: 2026
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The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
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ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
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- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
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Uefa Nations League Group B:
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What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
Tickets
Tickets for the 2019 Asian Cup are available online, via www.asiancup2019.com
