LONDON: Al-Hilal have signed a “freak” of a player in Omar Abdulrahman, one who will light up the Saudi Pro League this season, according to a former colleague who does wonder though if the time would have been right for the UAE playmaker to transfer his talent to Europe.
Abdulrahman joined the League champions Al-Hilal on a season-long loan deal costing $17 million, the second highest loan fee ever paid for a player. The move means Abdulraham will play in Riyadh, the city of his birth, and show he is comfortable doing it outside the comfort zone of Al-Ain, where he has spent the past 10 years. He is in line to make his debut in the Super Cup final against Al-Ittihad in London on Saturday.
“The kid is a freak, he is an unbelievable talent,” said Liam Weeks, the English performance analyst who worked with the 26-year-old at Al-Ain. “His passing ability, his vision, his execution is world class. He’s got the flair, he can see a picture and bring others into the game that no other players sees.”
Abdulraham is the most talented player in the Middle East and was named the Asian Player of the Year in 2016. He has been coveted by clubs in England, France and Germany, but he has always resisted and stayed put in his adopted home of Al-Ain. Weeks feels he has the ability to shine in one of the top leagues and should have used this opportunity to export his talent.
“I’m really disappointed he’s not gone to Europe,” Weeks said. “I thought it was a perfect opportunity to go to Europe and test himself against the very best, whether in Spain, in Holland, in Germany or in the UK, a better league, a more physical league to see if he can do it. When I go home (to England) people know who Abdulrahman is. They’ve seen videos of him and he’s an iconic because of his hair and his style. People often say, ‘How is the kid with the fuzzy hair doing?’ They mean Omar. He has a lot of fans around the world.”
There have been claims that Abdulrahman enjoys being a big fish in a small pond and that he is so well financially rewarded by Al-Ain that he saw little point moving elsewhere.
“He has a lot that he owes the UAE, Al-Ain and Sheikh Hazza (bin Zayed),” said Weeks. “Sheikh Hazza brought him to the UAE from Yemen, brought his entire family over and gave them citizenship. He’s got two brothers who play for Al-Ain and that maybe has something to do with why he has stayed.”
Abdulrahman, 26, was out of contract this summer and although he signed a new deal at Al-Ain, Weeks feels the fact he was banned for breaking a curfew in the Gulf Cup while on UAE duty may have played a part in his decision to end, albeit temporarily, his unbroken stint in the UAE Pro League and try his luck in the Saudi Pro League.
“He’s got a bit of bad press in the UAE after the Gulf Cup, so maybe that was part of the decision,” said Weeks.
Al-Ain’s loss is certainly Al-Hilal’s gain and Weeks’ mouth waters of the prospect of Abdulrahman lining up in a side already packed with talent.
“He will do very well there,” Weeks said. “Al-Hilal are the powerhouses in Saudi football. They have (Omar) Khribin, (Carlos) Eduardo and their runs with Abdulrahman providing the ammunition is going to be an exciting prospect.”
Weeks worked closely with Abdulrahman at Al-Ain, passing on key stats about his performances in training and in games and found him a very grounded individual.
“He’s a very down-to-earth person,” Weeks said. “He’s very focussed on his football, very polite, he looks after himself. He’ll always greet you with a warm welcome.”
While his talent is not in question, Weeks is warning supporters not to expect too much, too soon from the left-footed magician as he has been struggling with injury.
“I think fitness and injury wise there are concerns,” said Weeks. “His last game was the beginning of May. He’s not been training properly with Al-Ain or the national team and has had three months of work with just a fitness instructor in the gym. Hopefully they don’t rush him into things and give him a pre-season before he starts.”
Al-Hilal’s Omar Abdulrahman will ‘light up’ Saudi Pro League says former colleague
Al-Hilal’s Omar Abdulrahman will ‘light up’ Saudi Pro League says former colleague
- Abdulrahman joined the League champions Al-Hilal on a season-long loan deal costing $17 million
Rolex SailGP Championship race starts in Dubai this weekend
- SailGP launched its 2025 season on Thursday evening at the House of Sustainability EXPO City in Dubai ahead of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix
- SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts unveiled on Friday an increased bonus prize purse of $12.8m up for grabs across the season
DUBAI: The Rolex SailGP Championship, which will take place in Dubai this weekend, marks the official start of SailGP’s most expansive season to date, according to a media statement issued on Friday.
SailGP launched its 2025 season on Thursday evening at the House of Sustainability EXPO City in Dubai ahead of the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix.
At the event, Rolex was revealed as the first title partner for the global racing league, now known as the Rolex SailGP Championship.
The SailGP 2025 season launch was the first-ever event to be held at the new venue and provided the perfect setting for the league to present its full lineup of 12 teams. The season will bring a new era of the best high-speed, high-tech racing — with even more on the line.
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts unveiled on Friday an increased bonus prize purse of $12.8 million up for grabs across the season. “I am pleased to reveal the prize money has grown to $12.8 million — a number we intend to increase as we continue to grow commercially,” he said.
The stakes are high and the rewards for achieving top performance are higher, according to Coutts.
“Which means we can attract — and retain — the sport’s brightest stars, while inspiring up-and-coming future athletes to work hard to gain a place in one of these teams,” he added.
The Rolex SailGP Championship welcomes two new nations — the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team and Red Bull Italy.
France will miss the Dubai event, selecting to join the fleet in Auckland (the second event of the season), stepping into the league’s newest F50 catamaran, currently under accelerated development. France will be awarded compensatory points for the Dubai event.
Driving for Brazil, Martine Grael will be the first woman to race in the Rolex SailGP Championship. On the team’s preparations heading into the weekend, she said: “We’re doing as much as we can here, going into our eighth day on the water. We’re as prepared as we can be with great learning here so far in Dubai. We’ve been foiling every day and expecting good racing this weekend.”
Fellow gold medalist Ruggero Tita will drive for the league’s other new nation, the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team, while Emirates Great Britain welcomes Dylan Fletcher back into the driver’s seat.
SailGP heavyweights Australia and New Zealand have also found themselves with new talent on the roster after losing foundational team members in a highly active transfer season. Australia’s Kyle Langford (wing trimmer) and New Zealand’s Andy Maloney (flight controller) have both taken up roles in newly sold teams, Italy and Brazil, respectively.
While the trans-Tasman rivals have both made experienced appointments — Chris Draper in Australia and Leo Takahashi in New Zealand — three-time SailGP champion Tom Slingsby said the loss of “King Kyle” could not be overlooked.
“For sure it’s tough for us losing Kyle, but that’s the way the sport is going. Losing a key person like that is going to be tough for our team,” said Slingsby.
Set to be a flagship event on the Middle East sporting calendar, the Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix will provide the ultimate blend of sport and spectacle, with close-to-shore stadium racing, and live apres-sail entertainment on both Saturday (Tinie Tempah) and Sunday (Craig David).
Remaining tickets to the event are on sale now at SailGP.com/Dubai.
‘Dreamer’ Amorim vows to revive ailing Man Utd
- Asked if he believes he can eventually restore United to the summit of English football, Amorim told reporters on Friday: “I’m a little bit of a dreamer, I believe in myself”
- “I truly believe in the players, I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do“
MANCHESTER: New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said he is the right man to revive the ailing English giants’ fortunes ahead of his debut against Ipswich on Sunday.
Amorim was hired from Sporting Lisbon to replace Erik ten Hag, who was sacked after a dismal start to the season left United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League.
The 39-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest young coaches in Europe after leading Sporting to a pair of Portugese titles during his four years in Lisbon.
But United have won just four of their 11 league games this term, extending a malaise that has set in since they last won the Premier League in Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge 11 years ago.
Asked if he believes he can eventually restore United to the summit of English football, Amorim told reporters on Friday: “I’m a little bit of a dreamer, I believe in myself. I believe in the club, we have the same mindset.
“I truly believe in the players, I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do.”
After arriving in Manchester during the international break, Amorim will finally get his first taste of the Premier League when United travel to struggling Ipswich this weekend.
He is trying to succeed where David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag all failed by bringing the title back to Old Trafford.
The Portuguese boss is adamant reviving United is not an impossible job, despite a difficult combination of high expectations and underperforming squad.
“Call me naive, but I truly believe that I’m the right guy in the right moment,” he added.
Amorim was speaking to the media for the first time since taking charge on November 11.
The packed press conference room at United’s Carrington training ground underlined what Amorim has already started to realize about the size and global reach of the 20-time English champions.
“It’s bigger than I imagined. There’s a lot of departments, it’s so much different than Sporting, and Sporting is a big club in Portugal,” he said.
“This you feel is a global club, so you have so much to do.”
Amorim’s rise has been compared to the early success enjoyed by compatriot Mourinho at Porto.
Mourinho took English football by storm when appointed Chelsea boss in 2004, shortly after guiding Porto to Champions League glory.
“He sent me a message saying it’s a big club with lovely people, and he’s correct, it still is,” Amorim said of Mourinho.
“With all the Portuguese coaches, we’ve shown that we can be the best in the world. I’m different from Mourinho. He was a European champion, I am not.
“Football is different nowadays, I think I am the right person for this moment. I am a young guy and I try to use this to help my players.”
Amorim’s confidence extends to his tactics and he is ready to stick with his preferred 3-4-3 system despite players who might not be suited to the formation.
“I prefer to risk a little bit,” he said. “We will adapt some players because we don’t have the right profile.
“This team was built for a different system. It’s not evolution or revolution, it’s a change in the way we play football.”
Acknowledging United’s numerous flaws, Amorim knows he faces a massive task to catch up the likes of rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.
“We have space to grow as a team. We have to improve in a lot of areas,” he said.
“If you want to speak about the team and the way we play, we lose the ball too often. We have to be better at running back and we have to be very good in the details.
“We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don’t know how long it will take. We have to improve a lot to try to win the title.”
Slot warns of Southampton slip-up ahead of Liverpool’s ‘incredible’ week
- Slot has made a remarkable start to his time in charge of the Reds, winning 15 of his first 17 games in all competitions
- That has propelled Liverpool into a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League and to the summit of the new-format Champions League
LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot said he cannot be distracted by Liverpool’s upcoming showdowns with Real Madrid and Manchester City as the injury-hit Premier League leaders visit Southampton on Sunday.
Slot has made a remarkable start to his time in charge of the Reds, winning 15 of his first 17 games in all competitions.
That has propelled Liverpool into a five-point lead over City at the top of the Premier League and to the summit of the new-format Champions League.
“It would be a bit strange if I tell you I’m not enjoying being in the position we are in now, but we also understand we’re only 11 (league) games in now, so that’s a lot of games to be played,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
A trip to bottom-of-the-table Southampton appears the ideal appetiser to two huge clashes as Madrid visit Anfield on Wednesday before a showdown with City on December 1.
But Slot is wary of the threat posed by the Saints, who have often dominated possession without reward on their return to the top-flight.
“We indeed have incredible fixtures coming up, starting with Southampton,” added Slot.
“It’s not going to be easy even if everyone feels it is (because they are) bottom of the league. (Southampton) do not play at all like this and they made it difficult for teams that are in the top three of four.
“Their playing style is very interesting, it is a joy to watch their games.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold could be back in time to face Madrid, but is unlikely to return from a hamstring injury this weekend, while Alisson Becker and Diogo Jota remain out.
Liverpool’s title rivals received a major boost this week as Pep Guardiola extended his contract as Manchester City boss until 2027.
Slot is a confessed admirer of the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach, who has led City to six Premier League titles in the past seven seasons.
“That’s good news for City first of all, and also good news for the league because I think everyone wants to have the best managers possible and the best players over here,” said Slot.
“On the other hand City have so many quality players that if he made the choice to leave the club I would never expect them to be bottom of the league next season.”
Leverkusen’s Boniface sidelined with leg injury
- “He’s got a small injury in his thigh muscle, it’s a shame,” Alonso told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Heidenheim
- Nigerian media reported Boniface could miss the remainder of 2024 but Alonso was optimistic the striker would be back soon
BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen and Nigeria striker Victor Boniface is set to miss “a few games” after returning from international duty with a leg injury, coach Xabi Alonso said Friday.
“He’s got a small injury in his thigh muscle, it’s a shame,” Alonso told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Heidenheim.
Nigerian media reported Boniface could miss the remainder of 2024 but Alonso was optimistic the striker would be back soon.
“He won’t be there tomorrow or against Salzburg (Champions League).
“We hope he will play again this year. We have to wait and see, but it’s not going to be six or eight weeks.”
Forward Patrik Schick, who has started just twice in the league this season, is expected to step up in the Nigerian’s absence.
“He is always ready — we don’t just need him now, but always.”
The defending champions, who did not lose a game in Germany last year on the way to an unbeaten league and cup double, have stuttered this season.
Leverkusen are currently in fourth, nine points behind league leaders Bayern Munich. Alonso’s men have dropped 13 points so far this season, one more than the 12 they leaked in the entirety of the last campaign.
Boniface is Leverkusen’s highest scorer in the league, with six goals and an assist in 10 games.
Wagner puts on a late show as Magic stun Lakers
- Wagner, 23, finished with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the Magic scoring
- San Antonio Spurs improved to 8-8 for the season after scrapping to a 126-118 win over the Utah Jazz
LOS ANGELES: German international Franz Wagner drained a three-pointer with three seconds remaining as the Orlando Magic ended the Los Angeles Lakers’ unbeaten home record with a dramatic 119-118 victory on Thursday.
Rising star Wagner took full advantage of wayward Lakers shooting from the free throw line in the closing seconds of a see-saw battle at the Crypto.Com Arena to give Orlando a hard-fought win.
Wagner, 23, finished with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds to lead the Magic scoring, with older brother Moritz adding 19 from the bench and Jalen Suggs scoring 23.
The in-form Lakers, who had gone into Thursday’s encounter on a six-game unbeaten streak, were left ruing some wasteful shooting from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, where they made just three of nine attempts.
The Lakers had looked poised to close out the win after opening up a four-point lead with 27 seconds remaining at 118-114.
But Franz Wagner closed the gap to 118-116 with a driving layup, and then Anthony Davis missed two free throws to give Orlando a glimmer of hope with 19 seconds remaining.
Wagner then punished the Lakers profligacy, coolly knocking down a step-back three from 26 feet to give Orlando what turned out to be the winning lead.
Davis led the Lakers scorers with 39 points while LeBron James finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Rookie Dalton Knecht added 17 points.
Orlando improved to 10-7 while the Lakers slipped to 10-5 and are now fourth in the Western Conference.
In other games, the San Antonio Spurs improved to 8-8 for the season after scrapping to a 126-118 win over the Utah Jazz.
Utah had seemed poised to claim only their fourth victory of the season after surging into a 20-point lead in the second quarter against a Spurs side missing the injured Victor Wembanyama.
But San Antonio erupted for 75 points after half-time to outscore Utah by 24 points and snatch victory.
Harrison Barnes led San Antonio’s scoring with 25 points and 10 rebounds while rookie Stephon Castle and Zach Collins added 18 points each on a night when eight Spurs players finished in double figures.
Lauri Markkanen scored 27 points for Utah, who slipped to their fourth straight defeat.
In Charlotte, Brandon Miller produced a flurry of scoring in overtime to finish with a career-high 38 points as the Hornets defeated the Detroit Pistons 123-121.
Miller rattled in eight overtime points to help Charlotte claim a win which improves their season record to 6-9.
The Toronto Raptors (4-12) upset the Minnesota Timberwolves, winning 110-105.
