Roberto Mancini will try to bring Manchester City's players back down to earth and focus their attentions on the second of his pre-season goals - winning a trophy - after they secured Champions League football for next season.
Tuesday night's victory over Tottenham Hotspur saw City confirm at least fourth spot with two games to go. City's players are still taking in their achievement, given that just five seasons ago they were involved in a relegation struggle at this stage of the season.
"It is unbelievable," said Micah Richards, the City right-back. "It doesn't feel real. Every player dreams of playing in the Champions League. To achieve it in such a short space of time, buying players every year, is amazing. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself."
City now take on Stoke City in the FA Cup final on Saturday when they can reach another target - a first trophy for 36 years.
Vincent Kompany, City's Belgian centre-back, believes Champions League qualification will provide City with even more impetus.
"It is a milestone for this club," said, the defender. "It takes a lot to catch up with the teams who have been in the top four for a long time but we are there now.
"In some senses, it has been a very symbolic season.
"Last year we lost in the semi-final of the League Cup against Manchester United. This year we played them in the semi-final of the FA Cup and beat them. Same with Tottenham and the top four.
"We can build on it for next season and challenge for the title."
Mancini, the City manager, highlighted the plight of Tuesday's opponents - Tottenham - to demonstrate that he will now look to add to his squad to cope with the demands of the Champions League.
"When you play in the Champions League and want to try and win the title, you need many players. It is very hard without that," said Mancini. "I don't know how many players I will need at this moment. Tottenham had a problem this year and they had 26 or 27 good players."
Tony Pulis, his opposite number on Saturday, can become the first Welsh manager to lift the FA Cup.
He will leave it until the last minute before deciding whether to name injured duo Robert Huth and Matthew Etherington in his line-up for the FA Cup final.
Centre-back Huth suffered a knee injury in the 3-1 victory against Arsenal on Sunday.
Etherington, the winger, has also been struggling to recover from a torn hamstring. Huth has returned to the training ground and is having sugar injections in a bid to speed up his recovery.
"We will give them right up until the game. We are desperate for them to play but it is just whether it is right for the team," said Pulis. "My most difficult selection decision? Yes."
With City securing a top-four finish, Stoke are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League next season. Pulis said: "You would not have dreamed of it a few years ago - Stoke in an FA Cup final, perhaps finishing in the top 10 of the Premier League and being in Europe. It is a bit special."
City's big injury doubt is Carlos Tevez, who has been out for a month with a hamstring injury.
Mancini hinted the Argentine is likely to start on the bench. "I don't think he can be 100 per cent ready ... But we have four days, then we need to decide," he said.
* Press Association
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
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Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
AIR
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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
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
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
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