It’s been a difficult year-and-a-half for Polyana Viana who faced back-to-back losses before a serious injury sidelined her for 16 months Right off the heels of the best win of her career - a 47-second knockout of Jinh Yu Frey - Viana suffered a submission loss and a TKO defeat to ranked opponents Gillian Robertson and Iasmin Lucindo Viana’s path was further delayed when a patella dislocation and ligament damage kept her out of action The time away from competition wasn’t just about recovery but it was also a period of reflection and growth Viana took valuable lessons from those fights and returns to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates with a renewed focus Watch Polyana Viana's Fight Week Interview “It doesn’t matter if the opponents are ranked or not I’ve had even tougher challenges in other fights,” Viana said referring to her two losses against Robertson and Lucindo I’ve had challenges that were just as hard I wasn’t feeling my best mentally for those fights but it was a learning experience that I’ve had we had really good training and I’m going to deliver even better results now.” Viana was initially scheduled to make her return in October against Cory McKenna Viana was unable to train grappling properly during training camp and had no choice but to pull out of the fight Viana will finally step back into the Octagon at 100 percent to face submission ace Jaqueline Amorim who’s currently riding a three-fight finish streak Amorim has submittedher last two opponents by first-round armbar and recently told UFC.com she’s hoping to add another submission to her record in an attempt to solidify her claim as the best grappler in the strawweight division View Polyana Viana's Athlete Profile “If she wants to really prove herself and say she is the best grappler in the division she needs to fight Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba,” Viana said “I think they’re ways ahead in that category We’re here as a challenge and here to put that to proof and I see a lot of me in her because I worked a lot of jiu-jitsu when I came into MMA I’m at a point in my life where I train MMA but I’ve been able to actually evolve and go into more MMA-focused training.” With four first-round finishes in her UFC career (one knockout and three submissions) and only three of her last 15 fights going the distance If she steps into the Octagon as the best version of herself against a fast-rising prospect in Jaqueline Amorim With 18 First-Round Finishes, Zhang Mingyang Carries His Relentless Style Into The Toughest Test Of His Career At UFC Mahmoud Sebie Brings A Prestigious Wrestling Background, UFC Star Support, And An Incredible Story To Las Vegas For T The Official Weights Of The Athletes Competing At UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates On April 26 At T-Mobile Ce Hugo Viana loves Morgan Gibbs-White and he has had his sights set on him since his time at Sporting CP Gibbs-White’s move to Manchester City is in progress as Viana seems to be working towards fulfilling his longstanding ambition But Manchester City should be aware that it is unwise to restrict oneself to just a single transfer target Morgan Gibbs-White is not the only midfielder in the Premier League who could potentially elevate City with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Carlos Baleba also proving their class this season With Carlos Baleba capable of playing as both a traditional number six and further forward he would especially suit Manchester City as they have plenty of attacking midfielders like Gibbs-White at their disposal — such as Phil Foden Unlike Gibbs-White, Baleba might not have to adapt to playing in a double pivot if Manchester City signed him — with Pep Guardiola perhaps looking to sign players who are ready to have an instant impact while still being a young prospect would elevate Manchester City from an athletic technical and physical point of view as well The Cameroonian international especially showcased how much of an all-rounder he is during Brighton & Hove Albion’s 2-2 draw against City earlier this season — as he bullied Pep Guardiola’s men by passing them off the park and being virtually impossible for them to press due to his comfortability in possession and physical dominance Baleba looks up to Rodri already and having opened up about “learning” from an elite defensive midfielder like the Spaniard to advance his game the Brighton wonderkid would go up another level if he had the chance to do so at Manchester City Sit back, relax and enjoy EVERY angle of Carlos Baleba's wonder goal against West Ham… 😮‍💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/3RxoivJEkT Ilkay Gundogan could stay at Manchester City next season as well who is another midfield maestro who Baleba could study to become the world-class player he has the potential to become Gibbs-White’s class is unquestionable but Baleba is three years younger more versatile and also has the experience of playing in Ligue 1 — as he initially rose to stardom at Lille before moving to Brighton Manchester City tend to get their hands on players they like City have a tendency of making left-field signings from John Stones to Julian Alvarez who have silenced their doubters and succeeded Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Gibbs-White is one of Manchester City’s “priority targets” and for that reason it looks unlikely they will pursue Baleba’s signature 🚨🔵 Manchester City plan to advance on Morgan Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets.No issues are expected on personal terms but work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW. pic.twitter.com/k67RBKu8an Romano wrote: “Manchester City plan to advance on Morgan Gibbs-White deal in the next weeks as he remains one of the priority targets.” “No issues are expected on personal terms but work to do with Nottingham Forest as they still hope to keep MGW.” Hugo Viana was set to leave Sporting at the end of the season. Photo by Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty ImagesHugo Viana has left his role as sporting director of Sporting CP Viana, who will replace the outgoing Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City's director of football was due to leave Sporting CP at the end of the season "Sporting CP informs that Hugo Viana requested that his departure from the Club be brought forward, initially scheduled for the end of the current sporting season," a club statement said "Taking into account the arguments presented and by mutual understanding the sporting director of Sporting CP ceased his duties after the closure of the winter market." Viana, 42, spent time at Sporting, Newcastle United and Valencia as a player and won 29 caps for Portugal between 2001 and 2012 He was appointed as Sporting's director of football in 2018 and helped the club win the Portuguese title in 2021 and 2024 despite strong competition from Benfica and FC Porto He is credited with bringing in now-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim as manager in 2020 who also played a key role in returning Sporting to the top of Portuguese football "Hugo Viana played a fundamental role in the club's sporting growth during a period in which Sporting CP's main football team won several titles: two National Championships a Super Cup and a Portuguese Cup," the statement said Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas praised Viana and said: "Viana's work over these years was fundamental to the implementation of a solid and winning sporting project "He played a crucial role in building a team that broke barriers and marked one of the most memorable phases in the recent history of our Club." Bernardo Palmeiro will replace Viana as new general director of football at Sporting Pep Guardiola's side spent £180 million ($225m) in an attempt to spark their season into life after a dismal first half of the campaign Before Monday's deadline, City secured the arrival of FC Porto's Nico Gonzalez by splashing £50m, equivalent to the player's release clause. Chef David Viana cooked his way to another win on Food Network's "Tournament of Champions" on Sunday Viana, of Judy & Harry's in Asbury Park Lita in Aberdeen and Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge went into the second episode of the bracket-style cooking competition as the eighth seed He was up against first seed Tobias Dorzon an NFL player-turned-chef who owns restaurants 1123 and Huncho House in Maryland The cooking show challenges chefs to prepare a dish with randomly assigned ingredients They needed to incorporate searing and a milk frother into their cooking "I’m really feeling the pressure of creating flavor that the judges are going to remember.” He prepared mussel toast with coconut curry and caramelized fennel and quinoa Dozon made fennel-roasted mussels in seafood broth with pancetta and fennel quinoa “He’s going for a very high-end take on mussels,” commentator and chef Justin Warner said as Viana plucked steamed mussels from their shells and stirred them into his sauce “Mussels are a food for every man when they’re in the shell “This is a dish that we need Charlie Palmer to pay the bill for," Samuelsson joked This is high end and fancy and really elegant I would gladly pay the bill for this dish because I think it’s that spectacular,” Palmer said The judges awarded Viana's dish 91 points out of 100 He will cook next against Chef Sarah Bradley with whom he competed on season 16 of Bravo's "Top Chef." Being a digital subscriber gets you access all content on our website, including our e-edition at a discounted rate while also being environmentally friendly Digital subscriptions start as low as $3.99/month get print + dgital for only $52/year or $5.99/month That\'s just pennies a day for the great coverage of the local news you need Jaqueline Amorim will face off against Polyana Viana at UFC Kansas City on Saturday The odds have Amorim at -800 while Viana is priced at +550 Jaqueline Amorim looks to add a win to her record of 9-1-0 The 29-year-old steps on the scale at 115 lbs and measures in at 5'3" Polyana "Dama de Ferro" Viana comes in at 5'5" and weighs 115 lbs The orthodox fighter has a career record of 13-7-0 Jaqueline Amorim lands 3.05 per min and Polyana Viana connects on 2.99 significant strikes per min Amorim connects on 52% of the significant strikes she attempts while Viana is landing 40% Amorim takes 1.72 significant strikes per minute while "Dama de Ferro" takes 2.65 Amorim also stops 63% of the significant strikes her opponents throw at her while Viana deflects 53% of the strikes thrown her way Jaqueline Amorim is the more apt wrestler as she takes her opponents to the canvas 1.78 times per 15 minutes Amorim is finishing her takedown attempts on 28% of her tries and is defending 15% of the takedowns her opponents try Viana is getting her opponent to the mat on 33% of her takedown tries and is stopping 38% of the attempts against her Amorim is the more capable fighter by trying 5.3 finishes per 15 minutes while Viana goes for 1.9 finishes per 15 min Get all of our Free UFC Picks Jaqueline Amorim faced Vanessa Demopoulos and ended up getting the win by way of an armbar in round 1 Demopoulos ended up landing 3 of 7 total strikes attempted in that fight Amorim ended the night having landed 12 of 16 total strikes She ended up landing 0 of 3 significant strikes to the head Amorim landed 66% of the significant strikes she threw by landing 2 of 3 100% of the significant strikes connected on by Demopoulos and 50% of them landed by Amorim were thrown at distance she went up against Gillian Robertson and was on the losing end of this fight by a punch to the head in round 2 Robertson ended up landing 21% of the significant strikes she took from distance while Viana ended up connecting on 75% of the significant strikes she attempted at distance Viana connected on 29% of the significant strikes she attempted by landing 12 of 41 She ended up connecting on 10 of 37 significant strikes aimed at the head Robertson ended up landing 23 of 39 significant strikes in that battle In terms of total strikes that she threw in that fight Robertson ended up connecting on 49 of 91 and Viana landed 33 of 66 total strikes Another bout that you're not going to want to miss is when Chelsea Chandler battles Joselyne Edwards The 34-year-old steps on the scale at 135 lbs and measures 5'8" Edwards measures in at 5'8" and steps on the scale at 135 lbs The orthodox fighter steps into the cage holding a mark of 14-6-0 Chelsea Chandler takes her opponents to the mat 0.91 times per 3 rounds while Joselyne Edwards takes her opponents to the mat 1.23 times per 15 min Chandler lands an average of 3.53 strikes per min and connecting on 45% of her attempted strikes On the other side of the cage we have Joselyne Edwards who is landing 52% of the strikes she has thrown and connects on 4.48 per min Another bout to watch is when Carlos Prates is set to fight Ian Machado Garry Machado Garry comes into this fight with a record of 15-1-0 The 27-year-old is fighting at 170 lbs and stands in at 6'3" The orthodox fighter has a wingspan of 74" Prates measures in at 6'1" and weighs in at 170 lbs The switch fighter comes into this fight holding a mark of 21-6-0 Ian Machado Garry stops 73% of his opponents' takedown attempts and is taking his opponents to the mat on 54% of his tries Prates is taking his opponents to the mat on 85% of his attempts and curbs 91% of the takedowns his opponents attempt Machado Garry takes 2.82 strikes per minute and he is dealing 4.72 strikes per minute is taking 4.60 strikes per min and is dealing 4.39 per min Who will win tonight's UFC match against the spread Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Jaqueline Amorim (-800) Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. 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Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here Get all of Today's Free UFC Picks Get all of Today's Expert UFC Picks The Repsol Honda HRC rider takes two wins on the opening day in the Portuguese coastal town Viana do Castelo welcomed the TrialGP World Championship’s TR1 class for the first time ever this Saturday The Repsol Honda HRC riders arrived eager to open their win account in the Portuguese town in style while teammate Gabriel Marcelli claimed fourth and seventh place the sections were slippery due to the constant rain the day before yet the current championship leader was able to achieve success Bou started off by stringing together a pair of zeros in the first sections and despite accumulating two consecutive fives The Repsol Honda rider took his first victory of the day with 23 penalty points all the TR1 class riders took a step forward the Montesa Cota 4RT rider was crowned Saturday’s winner He has a total of four wins so far in 2025 riding in the race closest to home for him the Galician was fighting for victory alongside his teammate and Busto A series of errors in the final sections ultimately resulted in him tying with Matteo Grattarola on points for third place the Repsol Honda rider finishing fourth on time Despite starting Race 2 with maximum motivation and confidence A big crash in Zone 10 caused mechanical problems that relegated him to seventh place Toni Bou earned a total of 40 points between the two races plus three extra points for being the fastest in the ‘Power Section.’ Marcelli took 22 points overall Bou leads the World Championship and Marcelli in third position The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The file could not be found for a number of reasons such as the file being moved or deleted. Please check your spelling and if you still can't get to the right page try heading to the homepage for a look around If you still have problems, try contacting us and we'll do what we can to help you. Click here to get back to where you came from brothers Felipe and Ignacio “Nachi” Viana set up a farm in Wellington with the mission of having an impact on the U.S They accomplished it by winning the coveted Joe Barry Memorial 16-goal tournament Sunday 26 with Zapican BMW’s 10-8 win in the final over tried and tested ConcordeEquityGroup.com on the U.S Polo Assn Field One at the National Polo Center in Wellington “This is a farm that we have in Wellington that we started with my parents some years ago and from scratch with the dream of two boys that started playing polo,” recalled Felipe Viana who was sidelined early in the tournament with a broken hand but was there to watch the final and support his team from the end zone It’s a very competitive world with a lot of polo dynasties The brothers are eight years apart in age and first-generation polo players It was their father who was introduced to polo by an Argentine friend and elected to encourage his sons to play he waited until his oldest son was ready to start swinging a mallet Five teams entered the tournament hosted by the Port Mayaca Polo Club whose founder Stevie Orthwein was part of the Zapican BMW line-up lining up American player Jeff Hall and the talented Wellington born and raised brothers Nachi Viana came to the finals as the highest goal scorer of the tournament with 25 goals — 10 more than his closest rival — and he added to his prolific scoring record with seven goals in the final earning himself the Most Valuable Player award while also receiving the Best Playing Pony for his grey mare Yatay Bengala BMW Zapican’s win was vindication for Felipe Viana that their foray into polo is now paying dividends and we are winning our first tournament,” he said and it’s something that we put together with the family and I wouldn’t change myself for anyone else right now.” Read more by equestrian writer Sarah Eakin at www.paperhorsemedia.com There are a couple of obvious starting points for any assessment of Hugo Viana and the job he has done as sporting director at Sporting Lisbon One is the club’s on-field record since he took that job in 2018 Sporting had won just four trophies — and no league titles — in the previous 16 seasons They have since claimed six pieces of silverware fracturing the longstanding Benfica-Porto duopoly bought for a total of around €35million (£29m/$38m at current exchange rates) and sold Their latest generation of savvy signings — Viktor Gyokeres Morten Hjulmand — looks likely to be every bit as profitable deserves — and has received — huge amounts of praise for his part in turning the club’s fortunes around since his appointment in March 2020 while the scouting department clearly have their house in order Speak to people with intimate knowledge of the club, however, and it quickly becomes clear just how central Viana has been to everything — and why their fans are so devastated that he will leave the club at the end of the season to join Manchester City following Txiki Begiristain’s decision to step down at the age of 60 The influence of sporting directors can be hard to define But ask about a bit and a picture emerges of a measured equally at home at the training ground and around the negotiation table “Hugo is a key part of our process,” Varandas said last year Amorim, who counts Viana as a friend as well as a professional ally, is of a similar view. “For us — for me — Viana is indispensable,” he said in 2022 who worked under Viana between 2018 and 2021 latterly as Sporting’s head of scouting and recruitment but he has a very unique profile,” Chieira tells The Athletic “He has qualities that you don’t often find To many English football fans, Viana’s name conjures only a handful of blurry memories of his ill-fated spell playing for Newcastle United in the early 2000s Viana was 19 when he made the move to St James’ Park. He had just helped Sporting to the title and was already a senior international. Expectations were high. He couldn’t meet them: he was sent out on loan after two underwhelming seasons (61 appearances in all competitions, 28 starts, four goals) under former Sporting manager Bobby Robson and later sold to Spain’s Valencia at a loss “It was too early,” Viana said recently in a rare interview on a podcast published by the Expresso newspaper The remainder of his career was played out under the shadow of that early failure He produced his best football back in Portugal even earning a late-career recall to the national team His dreamy left foot remained his main weapon but Viana was also an astute reader of the game He was a sounding board for younger players and coaches “He was a player with personality,” Domingos Paciencia his manager at Braga between 2009 and 2011 We talked about a lot of different issues in football.” Paciencia was managing Lisbon-based Belenenses when a 34-year-old Viana — who had called time on his playing career the year before — was named their director of football but Viana had been preparing himself for the job for some time “He had only just retired, but he already had an interesting database of players,” Jose Luis, then director general of Belenenses, told Portuguese newspaper A Bola. “He had done a UEFA course and had a lot of international contacts.” They discussed their plans over dinners during a pre-season training camp in the Algarve; Paciencia felt he had gained a kindred spirit at boardroom level I was happy for him to come and work with me would be gone within six months after falling out with club president Rio Pedro Soares Soares spoke to a prospective signing before properly discussing it with Viana “He thought the president didn’t show him enough respect,” says Paciencia The first time that he felt that his space had been invaded Viana’s love affair with Sporting began when he was a teenager and initially had a soft spot for Gil Vicente a modest regional club whose old stadium was just around the corner from his grandmother’s house Viana joined Sporting’s youth system at 14 The only thing he says he regrets about those early years was his failure to finish his school studies When he returned to Sporting, in 2018, it was initially as director of international relations. Viana already had a reputation as someone who maintained high-level contacts across the world game: he counts Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar as a friend; another former Brazil midfielder “The most important thing for a director is having good connections who dealt with Viana frequently during his time as sporting director at Portuguese clubs Santa Clara and Casa Pia to get information from people you can trust all around the world Then you need to be able to relate with players He connects well with the people he’s with.” That international relations position proved to be a stepping stone Varandas leaned on Viana during the appointment of Dutch coach Marcel Keizer in 2018 and promoted him to sporting director the following January The club were still reeling from an attack on the club’s training ground by hooded intruders in May 2018; several prominent players had left in the wake of that incident and a sense of unease lingered Viana’s biggest jobs were to restore stability and bring the club’s culture into the 21st century “Sporting were entering a new cycle,” continues Chieira who arrived at the club around the same time “There had been a rupture with the past after some difficult situations Hugo was very important at the start of that process He made every single person aware of what their mission was and put in place principles that strengthened the club.” there was a renewed emphasis on respect and transparency leading a team,” Viana said on that Expresso podcast “The most important thing is being honest with everyone “He has a professional moral code that is completely non-negotiable,” says Chieira “He respects people and gives them space to do their jobs He is a calm guy who doesn’t see the need to impose himself in a forceful way he likes to ask questions and he likes to listen.” who was fired by Viana just 159 days after replacing Keizer in September 2019 who generally seeks to resolve situations through dialogue,” Silas tells The Athletic were notable duds — and the fans were not shy about making their views known “It’s obvious that my first year and a half at Sporting was very difficult,” Viana said on the Expresso podcast But you have to go through difficult times in order to grow Amorim was only 28 matches into his managerial career and less than half of those had been in the top flight Sporting had to pay Braga €10million to trigger his release clause Viana and Amorim are old friends. They played together for Portugal and for a season at Braga While Viana was not solely responsible for the appointment it was always natural that his fate was going to be tied to Amorim’s that when Amorim led Sporting to the title in 2020-21 it would come to be viewed as a Viana masterstroke When it comes to Viana’s interpretation of his role The first is his refusal to seek the limelight He is more than happy to let Amorim and Varandas take the plaudits for Sporting’s success He is humble and rarely speaks in the media the coach and the president,” he said on the Expresso podcast “The rest of us are part of the structure.” The second is that Viana likes to get his hands — or at least his shoes — dirty “Hugo is always at the training sessions,” says Boa Alma Many prefer to stay hidden in the office and connect with the board He no longer plays football in any form — he jogs to keep fit — but he will always be a former player “Of course it helps,” he said on the Expresso podcast what they’re going to do in certain situations.” Viana is also known as a killer negotiator. The most obvious example is the signing of Gyokeres in summer 2023. Sporting were competing against Premier League and Champions League clubs for the Swedish striker’s signature. Coventry City were prepared to walk away from the deal if their valuation was not met Sporting mounted a charm offensive on the player and sent Viana to England to speak to Coventry’s owner Doug King Gyokeres joined for an initial €20million with a potential €4m more in add-ons — a club record he could already be worth four times that amount “He understands the arguments he has to use to make Sporting stand out in a very competitive “Hugo gets that it isn’t always easy for Sporting — and that he has to find a way of securing priority players and carves out opportunities with his social skills He can turn an unfavourable market situation for Sporting into one in which they have the edge He makes a connection and shows a player what the project is “We can’t lie to a player,” Viana said on that Expresso podcast “We can’t tell someone we have a great team spirit or a beautiful training complex if we don’t it helps that Viana exudes professionalism “He is very discreet,” says Boa Alma, who negotiated with Viana over Japan midfielder Hidemasa Morita during his time at Santa Clara but Hugo always tells you the truth — what he can do Chieira built a proprietary big-data scouting model during his time at the club and says that that would not have been possible without Viana’s support “He was always very involved with the scouting department,” says Chieira “He didn’t need to be across every name in every stage of the process but when we got close to the top of the pyramid He really liked exchanging opinions about different players “He knows the game inside-out and is very sensitive to questions of context: he understands that it’s not just about a player’s ability Working with us meant he was comfortable with the job he eventually had to do Amorim rarely misses an opportunity to show his appreciation for Viana “Viana has already proved many times that he knows how to do magic,” he said at a press conference in August he was even more effusive: “Any coach would be lucky to work with him Not just due to his competence but due to his loyalty.” who asked not to be named in this article in order to protect relationships told The Athletic that Viana and Amorim are “like brothers” — and that their strong personal bond underpins their professional activities “Hugo does absolutely everything that Ruben wants I would even say he’s more loyal to Ruben than he is to Sporting when he does show it — when he asks for something and things don’t go his way — it’s usually Hugo who makes things go like Ruben wants them to All of which raises an obvious question: does this make Amorim a shoo-in to be City manager if and when Pep Guardiola decides it is time for either a new challenge or a rest “I am 99.9 per cent sure that he either knows he can take Ruben with him he’s going to try,” says the same Sporting employee Boa Alma agrees: “If it’s up to Hugo to decide on a new coach They speak the same language; they have the same way of looking for players and they understand what is needed to make a team stronger and challenge for the titles.” Clarity on the Guardiola situation will come later There is also the rest of this season to navigate — and the very real possibility of a third Portuguese league title for Sporting in Viana’s seven seasons 'He will be an unavoidable name in European football' - Ruben Amorim “Hugo will know that you cannot compare the budget at City to that at Sporting,” says Paciencia believes Viana will be up to the challenge “Hugo is a citizen of the world,” he concludes He also has a good sense of humour — almost a British sense of humour “A lot will depend on the people and the structure he finds at City That might make all the difference when it comes to the speed of his adaptation But he has the advantage of having played in England (Top photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images/Design: Dan Goldfarb) 2025 at 2:01 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}David Viana is the executive chef at which was named a 2024 James Beard semifinalist NJ — Jersey Shore chef and restaurant owner David Viana will compete as a contestant on Guy Fieri's "Tournament of Champions," at 8 p.m Viana and his wife, Neilly Robinson, own Heirloom Kitchen on Rt. 516 in Old Bridge and critically acclaimed Lita They also own Heirloom at The St. Laurent in Asbury Park which is currently being re-branded and re-named Judy & Harry's with an entire menu revamp that will now serve Italian fare This is Viana's first time competing on Fieri's show He will compete against 16 other chefs from across the U.S and one talented chef will win it all and be crowned champion taking home the coveted Tournament of Champions belt and a $150,000 cash prize Tournament of Champions VI is produced by Knuckle Sandwich and Lando Entertainment for Food Network Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Strawweight Polyana Viana Talks With UFC.com Ahead Of Her Matchup With Jaqueline Amorim At UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates The sixth season of "Tournament of Champions," a Food Network show that pits chefs against each other in a bracket-style cooking competition 16 with 16 chefs competing for eight spots on "Tournament of Champions," which premieres Sunday contestants are tasked with preparing a dish from randomly assigned ingredients More: Downtown Freehold restaurant named one of best in U.S. The chefs were tasked with using white cauliflower and ground pork in a dish that took 32 minutes to cook and utilized a panini press and a sautéed component "I work in a restaurant where I change the menu every single week I committed myself to coming up with new dishes and never repeating a dish," Viana said "I think that makes me pretty uniquely qualified." He prepared tacos featuring tortillas made on the panini press "This dish is what stands between me and being on the main bracket here on 'TOC," and I'm going to make sure that it's flawless," Viana said Yu prepared lettuce wraps with a larb pork filling and curry cauliflower purée Their dishes were judged by past "Tournament of Champions" winners Maneet Chauhan "All the flavors are really well-distributed," Lin said of Viana's dish She loved the salsa macha and his use of cauliflower "This chef came ready to compete on 'TOC,' " Chauhan said I think it's a delicious bite that's worthy of going on to 'TOC,' " Viana said His dish received 76 out of 100 points; Yu received 72 "Tournament of Champions" premieres at 8 p.m 16: Another New Jersey chef is headed to the Food Network is competing for a spot on the sixth season of "Tournament of Champions." pits chefs against each other in a tournament-style bracket Viana, a former "Top Chef" contestant who earlier this month was nominated for a James Beard Foundation award is among 16 hopeful chefs competing for eight spots in the bracket More: Aarzu owners bringing new Indian restaurant, bar to Asbury Park The show's eight weeks of competition begins Sunday Jaqueline Amorim showed everyone why she entered her fight against Polyana Viana at UFC on ESPN 66 as a massive favorite 4-1 UFC) is rapidly becoming one of the most feared finishers in the strawweight division 4-7 UFC) at 1:49 of Round 2 with a tight rear-naked choke The fight took place at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City Amorim scored an early takedown and controlled the fight on the ground until the break finding a relatively easy path to a rear-naked choke to force Viana to quickly tap Check out video of the finish below (via X): Amorim has now finished four opponents in a row Vanessa Demopoulos and now Viana were all stopped early Amorim explained how she always hunts for a finish and asked the UFC matchmakers for a matchup against a top 15 opponent next Viana has now been finished in her last three fights Her last victory came by first-round TKO stoppage over Jinh Yu Frey in November 22 Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 66 results include: Manchester City have confirmed the appointment of Hugo Viana as their new director of football Viana replaces Txiki Begiristain after it was announced the Spaniard would step down at the end of the 2024-25 season "Viana will begin his full-time role in the summer of 2025, but will collaborate with Txiki in the preceding months to ensure a smooth transition," a City statement said "We look forward to paying tribute to Txiki's outstanding contribution to Manchester City at the end of the season." Viana spent time at Sporting CP, Newcastle United and Valencia as a player and won 29 caps for Portugal between 2001 and 2012 He's credited with bringing in Ruben Amorim as manager in 2020 who has also played a key role in returning Sporting to the top of Portuguese football Sources have told ESPN that City also looked closely at Girona sporting director Quique Carcel before pursuing a deal for Viana Begiristain's decision to leave the Etihad has thrown Pep Guardiola's future into further doubt The pair have worked closely at City and Guardiola will be out of contract at the end of the season The 53-year-old has so far dodged questions about whether he will sign another contract extension Sources have told ESPN that City want Guardiola to stay and would like an indication about his plans for the future before the new year Information from ESPN's Rob Dawson contributed to this report Toni Bou currently leads the standings after taking three wins at the first round of the year Teammate Gabriel Marcelli is third with 62 points The TrialGP World Championship moves on to its second round of the 2025 season this weekend in Viana do Castelo which will host the international series for the first time Toni Bou is currently in the top spot in the standings after his strong debut at the first round of the year and Gabriel Marcelli rounds out the top three in the overall classification Bou heads into the second round of the TrialGP World Championship season after an impressive start to the campaign in Benahavís The Montesa Cota 4RT rider took three first places and one second place in the four races held less than a week ago and his goal will be to maintain his consistent performance and results this weekend Marcelli will be eager to put on a good show He will be racing just a few kilometres from his home and is currently third overall with 62 points just five behind second-placed Jaime Busto the 25-year-old demonstrated his excellent form securing three podium finishes from the four races the Repsol Honda rider will be looking for his first victory in the class The race in Viana do Castelo will consist of two days of competition riders in all classes will undergo administrative and technical checks “We're approaching the second race of the season with enthusiasm after a strong start We know it will be a very close year due to the new regulations; we saw that in the first race which will be our strategy throughout the weekend so the key will be to maintain consistency across all four races and we expect a fun race for the spectators.” but we're motivated after the good results in Málaga The race strategy with the new format will be to try not to make mistakes and remain consistent throughout the two days and this weekend we'll be looking to be at our best.” “We're very satisfied with the team's start to the season Toni has once again demonstrated his high level and his ability to quickly adapt to any terrain establishing himself among the best riders and very close to second place We're arriving in Portugal highly motivated and aiming to continue scoring important points Jersey Shore foodies will want to tune into Food Network Sunday night to watch local chef David Viana compete on "Tournament of Champions: The Qualifiers." is competing to become one of eight chefs who will advance to "Tournament of Champions." These chefs will cook against 24 pre-determined competitors, including former New Jersey resident Britt Rescigno, who competed on two prior seasons of the show. hosted by Guy Fieri and now in its sixth season is a bracket-style cooking competition that unfolds over eight weeks Chefs are tasked with cooking with random ingredients and cooking styles "Tournament of Champions" premieres Sunday Two of Brazil's top strawweights will square off this April At UFC Fight Night event April 26 rumored for Kansas City Jaqueline Amorim and Polyana Viana will meet in a three-round bout Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Ag. Fight was first to report the bout 3-1 UFC) aims to extend her winning streak to four in what will widely be considered her most high-profile test to date Following a loss to Sam Hughes in her debut After a 3-1 stretch from August 2020 to November 2022 she was finished by Iasmin Lucindo and Gillian Robertson in her most recent two outings Viana was expected to fight Cory McKenna in October the UFC Fight Night lineup for April 26 includes: If you ever want to witness the magic of a restaurant kitchen Especially if you are at Judy's in Asbury Park From my seat, I watched Viana, fresh off a James Beard Foundation Award nomination He slid melted cheese over a chicken cutlet cooked in clarified butter ensuring "The Parm" arrived to guests as crisp as could be; spooned apple relish over thick potato latkes; dolloped provolone espuma over bowls of twisted trottole pasta pork and broccoli rabe in a play on Philadelphia's roast pork sandwich; and glazed skirt steak with balsamic More: Mutiny BBQ Company to open new restaurant, Mutiny Beach, on Asbury Park boardwalk a trio of chefs behind the counter grilled and watching food come to life is exciting Heirloom at the St. Laurent, a restaurant and bar open since 2022 on the first floor of boutique hotel and social club St underwent a quick two-week transformation before reopening as Judy & Harry's "Change and evolution are a natural part of the hospitality industry and creative folks like ourselves are constantly looking to try out new ideas and evolve into something anew," Robinson said about the transformation "We’re lucky to have such great partners in the St who trust us to bring our signature hospitality to the local community." Lita in Aberdeen is an Iberian restaurant inspired by Viana's Portuguese heritage and Judy & Harry's is a tribute to Robinson's parents made with a rich consommé flecked with carrots and celery tender ricotta matzo balls and dill pistou "David often says it’s the best he’s ever had so I’m very excited to see a dish I grew up eating included on the menu," Robinson said "There’s also the 'Cipriani' pappardelle and veal ragu; this is a dish my mom always had on deck for impromptu guests or dinner parties It's a crowd favorite and such a comforting dish." who with her mother opened Heirloom Kitchen in 2013 as a kitchenware boutique and cooking school before expanding into restaurants counts the chicken Savoy among her favorites on the Judy's menu pays tribute to the version made famous by Belmont Tavern in Belleville creamy fish floating in fruity olive oil with crispy fried capers; ricotta ravioli served in sheets of 12 and dressed with bright tomato sauce pesto and dollops of creamy ricotta; and "schmaltz" potatoes that were so shatteringly crisp outside and tender inside The attention paid to each component is impressive from the crunchy pecan praline below the tender cake to the limoncello-poached raisins and orange carrot ginger sorbetto on top Robinson said she hopes Judy & Harry's will become a new neighborhood mainstay "This concept is something David and I have been passionate about creating for a few years," she said "so our hope is that our beloved members and guests will join us for first dates family gatherings or simply a Wednesday night dinner with friends." Go: Judy & Harry's, 408A 7th Ave., Asbury Park; restaurant open from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, bar open from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays through Saturdays and 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays; both are closed Mondays and Tuesdays; judyandharrys.com. The modernisation of the surface fleet of the Portuguese Navy reached a significant milestone on 31 March with the start of the construction of the first of six additional Viana do Castelo-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) at West Sea – Estaleiros Navais' shipyard in Viana do Castelo This new batch of multimission OPVs was ordered on 29 December 2023 under a contract awarded by the Ministry of National Defence to meet the requirements of the NPO3S (Navios de Patrulha Oceanicos da 3ª série) project part of the navy's fleet renewal programme The commissioning of the six OPVs is scheduled to take place between 2027 and 2031 The fleet was designed to carry out a large payload of missions Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more.. Delivering trusted intelligence to warfighters to protect national interests Providing mission users with faster access to quality data to pre-empt threats and protect national security Assured interconnected OSINT to deliver informed Solutions Insights About Contact Request a demo Customer Login Store Receive the latest developments in defence and security as well as keep informed on Janes news and events Janes Intelligence SummaryA fortnightly update featuring the latest analysis Life at Manchester City is generally pretty calm but this week’s events could be a sign that times are changing Apart from an occasionally big brush with the football authorities a week like this is almost unheard of at City given that there is so much stability and there are very few big football issues to be concerned about — the team are never struggling for long And yet here we are: the news of Begiristain’s impending departure brought with it one very obvious question: what of Pep Guardiola’s future City to hire Sporting's Hugo Viana to replace Txiki Begiristain Guardiola’s City contract is up next summer but if people are under the assumption that he was plodding along managing football matches and considering his future only to have the Begiristain bombshell dropped on him potentially adding one more ‘con’ to his list But the reality is no more comforting for City fans who want their manager to stay — which is more or less all of them. Everybody knew about Begiristain’s plans for ages, including Guardiola, and as reported by The Athletic this week the thought last season was for both of them to leave in the summer of 2025 Guardiola could change his mind at any minute Begiristain has been set on a more relaxing lifestyle for ages and City never thought about persuading him otherwise Guardiola decided that this season will be his last but he is so prone to a change of heart that barely anybody who knows him closely would dare predict what he will do He has threatened or offered to leave the club in the past not because of his displeasure with his employers and at no stage did anybody at the club actually think he was going to leave on those occasions Now the dynamic is slightly different but his emotions may work to City’s advantage logic that can be explained using readily available footage he looked and sounded like he was at the end of a cycle — but by the time he hit New York on their pre-season tour a couple of months later he was rejuvenated and was discussing the possibility of staying Even so, it is thought by those close to the club that a decision on his future — either way — is expected soon. Guardiola is the jewel in the City crown and they have moved heaven and earth for him — Begiristain went and found Manuel Akanji in August 2022 while Guardiola was weighing up whether to renew his deal last time and the following summer he wanted Juanma Lillo back as his assistant regardless of how much it would cost to activate his buyout clause as manager of Qatari side Al Sadd But they know that when it comes to succession planning Guardiola has signed his last two renewals in the Novembers of 2020 and 2022 but this time City would want a resolution long before that. Guardiola has surely had some offers come his way in recent months, and given the way that this week has unfolded the English FA may yet pick up the phone to ask what his plans are City have maintained backup plans to replace Guardiola for years, to the extent that Patrick Vieira and Mikel Arteta were considered genuine candidates when Vieira was doing well as Crystal Palace manager and Arteta was struggling slightly at Arsenal There are other admired coaches; Roberto De Zerbi, formerly of Brighton & Hove Albion and now at Marseille, is highly regarded and it would be a surprise if Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso was not considered on some level Begiristain’s replacement has also been worked on for some time His departure has been known about at the top levels of the club for more than a year Although Viana only formally agreed the deal this week City’s plans for the future have included him for a while And just as news of Begiristain’s departure asked questions relating to the manager’s future Viana has been Sporting’s director of football since 2018 and, in 2020, he hired Ruben Amorim as coach People who know the two men would be surprised if Viana did not want to bring Amorim with him to City Football’s best up-and-coming managers: Ruben Amorim The biggest influence on who manages City next season and beyond will be Guardiola then the search for a new manager will ramp up several notches there is some 2+2=4 speculating over Amorim — but there is substance given their very close working relationship who would like to remain anonymous to protect relationships which is interesting given the brand of football used by their eventual choice is noticeably less direct than predecessor Jurgen Klopp’s It is quite ironic that the grandmaster of attacking football basically allows his creative players to score all those goals by being incredibly patient and compact so some balance is hardly a problem for City If we are to indulge the idea of Viana and Amorim taking City into their next era — other candidates are available of course — then the latter has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave Sporting next summer (And what better way to honour Begiristain’s legacy than to trigger a buyout clause?) There are some similarities between their relationship and the one between Guardiola and Begiristain in the sense that they are good friends and completely understand each other’s idea of football Guardiola and Begiristain have been at the club for so long that their shared vision is inextricable from City’s meaning we should be open to the possibility of the champions’ approach changing was calling the shots the last time there was such a period of upheaval which was when Begiristain (and chief executive Ferran Soriano) arrived in 2012 City have not just become one of the most successful clubs on the planet but they have popularised Soriano’s multi-club model The scale of what they have done — which includes all those brushes with the authorities — was unthinkable back then we know that Viana is one of the key figures charged with delivering that vision for City’s future It might not be too long before we get some more answers but the Manchester City APT verdict hasn't changed anyone's mind (Top photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images) Sam Lee is the Manchester City correspondent for The Athletic. The 2024-25 campaign will be his 10th following the club, having previously held other positions with Goal and the BBC, and freelancing in South America. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamLee playDawson: 'No huge surprise' if Guardiola follows Begiristain out of Man City (2:18)Rob Dawson explains what Txiki Begiristain's Manchester City exit at the end of the season might mean for the future of manager Pep Guardiola Manchester City are closing in on an agreement to appoint Hugo Viana as their next director of football City are looking for a replacement for Txiki Begiristain who has told the club he will step down at the end of the season Sporting Lisbon director of football Viana is the top choice to step into the role A source has told ESPN there is hope that the new man will be installed in January and work alongside Begiristain for six months until the end of the current campaign Viana spent time at Sporting, Newcastle United and Valencia as a player and won 29 caps for Portugal between 2001 and 2012 Hugo Viana is set to join Manchester City as the director of football. Photo by Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty ImagesSources have told ESPN that City also looked closely at Girona sporting director Quique Carcel before pursuing a deal for Viana Sources have told ESPN that City want Guardiola to stay and would like an indication about his plans for the future before the new year. The staircase is detached from the walls and slab and is joined by a loose concrete volume that rises from the floor and forms the first three steps of the staircase You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Manchester City are set to hire Sporting Lisbon’s Hugo Viana to replace the outgoing Txiki Begiristain as their new director of football Viana’s arrival at City could be announced as early as next week, after The Athletic reported that Begiristain is expected to leave the Premier League club at the end of the 2024-25 season on Tuesday who has been a pivotal figure in City’s success since his arrival in 2012 had initially planned to step back when he turned 55 but was so invested in the club’s project and working alongside manager and friend Pep Guardiola that he extended that to his 60th birthday Begiristain’s departure was fully supported by the club’s hierarchy and he will oversee a six-month handover period Sporting and Viana have yet to respond to a request for comment Head coach Ruben Amorim arrived at Sporting two years after Viana and guided the Lisbon club to their first Primeira Liga title in 19 years in 2021 Viana’s playing career saw him play for clubs such as Newcastle United, Valencia and Braga he decided to move into executive management becoming the director of football at Portuguese side Belenenses in 2017 before leaving the post six months later what might that mean for Pep Guardiola's future who played a crucial role in luring his close friend Guardiola to Manchester He joined the club in 2012 in a move that saw him reunite with CEO Ferran Soriano, who he previously worked with at Barcelona After taking over at City in 2016, Guardiola underlined Begiristain’s importance in bringing him to the club: “If Txiki worked for Chelsea I would probably have called Chelsea,” he said Begiristain and Guardiola’s relationship traces back to their playing days at Barcelona who was Barcelona’s technical director between 2003 and 2010 was instrumental in giving Guardiola his first opportunity in management City face Sporting in Lisbon in the fourth matchday of the Champions League league phase on November 5 In the run-up to this Sunday's international friendly match between the national teams of Uruguay and Guatemala at Chase Stadium a tribute to the memory of Juan Manuel Izquierdo Viana will be paid as fans will be invited to join in a moment of silence in solidarity with his family and loved ones Get a weekly serving of the hottest NJ food news sent right to your inbox with our Side Dish newsletter Two New Jersey chefs were announced today as semifinalists for prestigious James Beard Awards for best chef: David Viana of Lita in Aberdeen and Dan Richer of Razza in Jersey City Lita, which also made Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list in 2023 is a modern Iberian restaurant that combines Portuguese and Spanish food and is a celebration of his family’s culinary legacy recently announced that it would be rebranding as Judy & Harry’s where he’s been serving up handcrafted wood-fired pizzas ever since Richer even wrote a book documenting his culinary journey featuring recipes and anecdotes for home bakers and chefs.“This is such an honor and I am just happy to be representing New Jersey along with David Viana from Lita,” Richer tells New Jersey Monthly The James Beard nominations for best chef are in the Mid-Atlantic region and winners will be honored at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony in Chicago on June 16 Read more Eat & Drink articles Two New Jersey chefs were announced on January 22 as semifinalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards: Dan Richer of Razza in Jersey City, and David Viana of Lita in Aberdeen Both are semifinalists in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category Neither Richer nor Viana are strangers to the James Beard Awards Richer was a semifinalist in the Rising Star category of the awards back in 2011 and has since earned four additional semifinalist nods Viana and partner Neilly Robinson's Lita made the semifinals of the Best New Restaurant category last year and Viana was nominated for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic in 2018 Finalists will be announced on April 2 and winners will be crowned at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony on Monday It almost doesn’t feel real," Viana says of the 2025 nomination "I've been an admirer of James Beard and how they’re advocates of what we do and how they’re a voice for so many wonderful causes in our industry which will pay homage to Robinson's parents and serve "Italian classics with a whimsical international flare." They're also opening a sandwich shop next to Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge this year Richer, from Matawan, literally wrote the book on pizza, "The Joy of Pizza." His pies are composed of fresh seasonal ingredients to an impressive degree: "The flour we use is milled in Clifton We have grown our own yeast culture that we believe makes a better pie," according to the restaurant Razza’s famous creation is a white pie topped with honey and hazelnuts grown from plant biologists at Rutgers University Stop by for that or the Jersey corn pie in late summer the pumpkin pie (with winter squash) right now or any number of artisan pies regularity on the menu Other recent James Beard Award semifinalists from New Jersey include Dane DeMarco of Gass & Main in Haddonfield and Nur-E Gulshan Rahman of Korai Kitchen in Jersey City in 2024; Philip Manganaro of Park Place Café & Restaurant in Merchantville Melissa McGrath of Sweet Amalia Market & Kitchen in Newfield and Shigeru Fukuyoshi of Sagami in Collingswood in 2023; and Joey Baldino of Zeppoli in Collingswood Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer of Canal House Station in Milford Matt Cortina is a food reporter with NorthJersey.com/The Record Hugo Viana has departed his role at Sporting CP ahead of replacing the outgoing Txiki Begiristain as Manchester City’s director of football Viana was initially due to leave the Portuguese club at the end of the 2024-25 season but has now brought that date forward with Sporting confirming a “mutual agreement” following the January transfer window The 42-year-old has been Sporting’s director of football since 2018 and worked closely with the club’s former head coach Ruben Amorim 🏆🏆 Campeonatos Nacionais🏆 Taça de Portugal🏆 Supertaça🏆🏆🏆 Taças da Liga Obrigado por todos estes anos de Dedicação. Boa sorte, Hugo Viana! 🦁👉 https://t.co/X4kXJ2vYUy pic.twitter.com/wmxnxIJZus — Sporting CP (@SportingCP) February 4, 2025 Viana’s time at Sporting was widely heralded with players such as Bruno Fernandes developed and later sold at significant profit margins while he also oversaw the arrival of the current squad including striker Viktor Gyokeres Viana’s playing career saw him play for clubs such as Newcastle United Begiristain’s exit from the City role at the end of 2024-25, which was fully supported by the club’s hierarchy, was reported in October and it was agreed he would oversee a handover period prior to his successor’s arrival Juma Bah and Abdukodir Khusanov from Palmeiras while also adding forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt and midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Porto Hugo Viana has officially started work at Manchester City as of Monday as Txiki Begiristain's successor attempts to drive the dethroned champions into a new era Mail Sport revealed in October that Viana had accepted the job to take over from Begiristain - as director of football - who is departing after 13 trophy-laden years at the Etihad Stadium The Portuguese was initially thought to be beginning in earnest in the summer but has seemingly brought that date forward His former employers, Sporting, had wanted Viana to see out the season but ultimately allowed the 42-year-old to leave at the end of the January transfer window Viana was at Old Trafford for Sunday's drab goalless derby draw with Manchester United, sat in the directors' box, and has attended some of Pep Guardiola's training sessions Begiristain is remaining in situ until after the Club World Cup, working alongside Viana in the hope of a smooth transition. City are in talks over the futures of a number of Guardiola's squad as they look to ascertain the extent of a rebuild that started with a £175million spend in January. Kevin De Bruyne announced he is leaving after a decade's service, with Kyle Walker expected to follow him once his loan spell at AC Milan ends. No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} with Hugo Viana after agreeing a deal with his current employers The former Portugal and Newcastle midfielder is set to move to the Premier League champions early next year with City envisaging a lengthy handover period that would see Viana work alongside Begiristain before he takes over the role at the end of this season When it became clear that 55-year-old Begiristain was going to depart after 12 years working for City the club embarked on an extensive search for a replacement Viana has won many admirers for the work he has done at Sporting helping them to win two Primeira Liga titles in his six-year spell at the club Viana has become known for sourcing young talented players from around the world and has overseen the sales of Manuel Ugarte Matheus Nunes and Nuno Mendes in recent summers for healthy fees The 41-year-old also takes credit for bringing Rúben Amorim to the Portuguese capital from Braga. The head coach had spent only a short period at Braga but Viana saw him as the man to kickstart a new era at Sporting with Amorim leading the club to two Portuguese cups and a supercup as well as two league titles not to mention impressing with his style of football at home and in Europe Viana had a successful playing career with Sporting and Valencia but his time at St James’ Park was largely forgettable he became sporting director at Belenenses before moving back to his boyhood club in the same capacity who are waiting to resolve the future of Pep Guardiola before his contract runs out in the summer travel to Sporting in November for a Champions League group stage fixture that will see Viana come up against his future employers.