Unai Emery, the Valencia manager, has played down his team's chances of winning the Europa League ahead of the first leg of their last-16 clash against PSV Eindhoven Thursday night.
Los Che dropped into the competition they won in 2004, when it was called the Uefa Cup, after finishing third in their Champions League group and comfortably saw off Stoke City in the previous round.
But Emery said the English sides, Manchester City and Manchester United, rank ahead of Valencia because of their resources and preferred to describe his side as hopefuls.
He told a news conference on Wednesday: "That is an adjective that is more befitting of us than favourites, because we have the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City in the competition.
"We aspire to beat them, but calling ourselves favourites would be a step beyond that. We don't say this out of fear, but rather because of the large economic differences in our respective budgets."
PSV, the Uefa Cup winners in 1978, should provide stiff opposition for the Spaniards and will go into the match with something to prove after their 6-2 home loss to Twente in the Eredivisie last weekend.
But the Dutch team must create history if they are to triumph at the Mestalla having never won in Spain while Valencia are unbeaten at home against sides from Holland.
PSV have been excellent in Europe this season, though, and have not lost in their last 11 continental matches, winning eight.
Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois is confident Atletico Madrid can deny Besiktas a first win on Spanish soil despite their poor recent form.
Atletico come into the Europa League last-16 first leg without a win in five Primera Liga games.
"We know at Besiktas' stadium it will be very difficult so we have to win the first leg," said the goalkeeper.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
