As Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, adopts a cautionary approach for today's Premier League finale, it is understandable.
Victory against Wigan at Stamford Bridge and the title will be theirs. But that is far from straightforward as the Italian knows only too well from a painful experience.
Ten years ago, Ancelotti's Juventus faced the same situation in their game at Perugia on order to become Serie A champions.
Heavy rain delayed the second half by more than an hour and Alessandro Calori, Perugia's journeyman central defender, gained a place in Italian footballing folklore when he beat Edwin van der Sar for the winning goal.
Lazio beat Reggina 3-0 to overturn a two-point deficit and pinch the trophy.
"This strange afternoon will remain in my mind for a long time," said Ancelotti at the time.
So too will May 26, 1989, for Ronnie Whelan. It was the date for what is widely considered the most dramatic finish to a league season in England.
Despite the pain and suffering following the Hillsborough tragedy, which killed 95 Liverpool fans, the players regrouped to win the FA Cup.
Arsenal provided the final hurdle to a famous double triumph. All Liverpool had to do was avoid defeat by two goals.
Alan Smith and then Michael Thomas, in the final minute of injury time, stunned Anfield as the Gunners achieved a 2-0 win.
"It hurt, but it's part of football," said Whelan, who was the Liverpool captain. "You think back and say we shouldn't have lost, but it can happen.
"It's why people go and watch football, and why we enjoy it. It's for these dramatic and unexpected events.
"There was massive pressure in that game against Arsenal; probably the biggest we experienced given what had happened at Hillsborough and we had won the FA Cup already.
"In front of our own fans, it was a massive occasion and we wanted to win the Double for them.
"We were of the mindset that it was just another game and we were going to go out there and win. We didn't approach it any differently or just think about not conceding two goals. Arsenal could approach it any way. They could go gung-ho or be patient and try to sneak a goal and make us nervous and that's what happened. Instead of playing our own game we probably did sit back too much. There was a lot more nervousness in everyone.
"The expectation was that we would win the league - everyone fancied us. But the run-in for a title always has an edge and you need to be mentally strong to cope. You can't afford to drop points and for the final game, there's no second chance."
Whelan said nerves could be the biggest obstacle for Chelsea, who hold a one-point lead over Manchester United.
"Everyone expects Chelsea to win four or five-nil against Wigan, but it may not happen," said the Irishman, who has just completed a 121 kilometre walk from Galway to Dublin to raise funds for Myasthenia Gravis (MG), an auto-immune disease which has afflicted his daughter Elizabeth.
"Nobody is guaranteed a win and there's probably going to be a bit of a nervousness out there, especially early on. The Wigan players will be out to make a name for themselves.
"But if you look at the quality of Chelsea's squad and the amount of experience, people like John Terry and Frank Lampard, then they should find it fairly comfortable and win."
Yet in situations like this, the final day is rarely a comfortable experience.
Louis van Gaal, preparing for a Champions League final with Bayern Munich, suffered like Ancelotti in his native Holland when AZ Alkmaar missed out in 2007.
As they unexpectedly lost to lowly Excelsior Rotterdam, PSV Eindhoven overtook them, and also pipped Ajax for the championship by a single goal.
Philip Cocu claimed the decisive strike for PSV in the 5-1 win against Vitesse. It was his parting gift before he left to join Al Jazira in the UAE and said: "We couldn't believe it and it was the perfect way for me to finish."
Whelan added: "There's always a bit of hope for the chasing team, like Manchester United, when you look at our game with Arsenal and others. No one can ever predict the outcome, but if Chelsea win, no one can say they will not have deserved it."
akhan@thenational.ae
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ethree%20three%20212.7kWh%20motors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2C000bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%2C600Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20530km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh500%2C000%2B%20est%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eearly%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
List of alleged parties
May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members
May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party
Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E77kWh%202%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E178bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E410Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh%2C150%2C000%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Suad%20Amiry%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pantheon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20304%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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
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
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Seoul from Dh3,775 return, including taxes
The package
Ski Safari offers a seven-night ski package to Korea, including five nights at the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongpyong and two nights at Seoul CenterMark hotel, from £720 (Dh3,488) per person, including transfers, based on two travelling in January
The info
Visit www.gokorea.co.uk
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 specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
