The Al Ain Club team has begun preparing for one of the most important stages in its history, by turning its attention towards the anticipated confrontation against Japan’s Yokohoma Marinos, next Saturday, in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final, at Nissan Stadium in the Japanese capital, Tokyo.
Although Al-Zaeem mathematically has a chance of competing for the ADNOC Professional League title, the technical staff, led by Argentine coach Hernan Crespo, relieved the entire starting lineup from participating in the last match against Khor Fakkan, last Monday, in the 22nd round. Most notably: Khaled Issa, Khaled Al Hashemi, Kwame, Park Young, Eric, Nader Yahya, Kaku, Matias Palacios, and Sufyan Rahimi. However, the team confirmed the historical saying that “the eye is on whoever is present,” and achieved victory over “The Eagles” with an unanswered goal scored by Sultan Al Shamsi, to strengthen “The Leader.” Its position is in third place in the rankings with 39 points, 16 points behind leaders Al Wasl, but Al Ain played one match less than Al Wasl.
While the team was playing its match against Khor Fakkan, the administrative staff left early for Japan to prepare all the preparations for receiving the team and the fans, and to check on the arrangements for the residence and training headquarters.
Al Ain reaped several gains from the confrontation with Khor Fakkan, most notably stopping the series of negative results that the team witnessed in the recent period in the local tournaments, as it did not achieve victory in four consecutive matches in the league, with its losses to Al-Nasr and Shabab Al-Ahly, and its draw with Al-Sharjah and Al-Jazira, before losing to Al-Wahda. In the final of the Abu Dhabi Bank Cup, the team became a candidate to exit “empty-handed” at the level of local tournaments, while Al-Ain excelled in the AFC Champions League, achieving impressive results and presenting great levels by defeating the most prominent candidates for the title: Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. straight.
On the other hand, the substitute players received a great morale boost after they played a strong match and a very good level, to reassure the technical staff of the readiness of all players in anticipation of any emergency situation that might face the starting lineup in the two matches of the continental championship final. At the same time, the main players received an appropriate number of days of rest. It has been eight days since their participation against Al Wahda in the cup final, especially since the travel trip to Tokyo is long and will take more than 12 hours, and the players will also need to get used to the time difference between the Japanese capital and the Emirates, which amounts to an additional six hours in favor of Tokyo.
The Al-Ainawi team will receive great public support, following the club’s football company’s announcement that His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and First Vice President of Al-Ain Club, and the Al-Ainawi Council of Honor, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al-Ain Club, directed the provision of two Boeing 777 aircraft to Al-Ainawi fans, to support The team faces its Japanese host Yokohama Marinos in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final. Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ain Club, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Al Ain Football Club Company Affairs Management Committee, directed the club’s management in coordination with the club’s executive management. The Japanese company will provide a link to tickets for Al Ain fans to attend the match, to ensure that the “leader” will attend the largest number of fans to support the team in this historic match, before returning to the country to play the return match next May 25, at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
The absence of Laba and Al-Balushi from the first leg
Dubai – Emirates Today / The supervisor of the first and reserve team sectors at Al Ain Club, Mohammed Obaid Hammad, confirmed that the absence of players Laba Kodjo and Khaled Al Balushi from Al Ain’s match against Japan’s Yokohama Marinos in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final was confirmed.
Hammad said in press statements that the medical examinations conducted by Laba and Al Balushi confirmed that they were not ready to participate in the Yokohama match, while they will be prepared in the hope of joining the return match in Al Ain.
He explained that “Lapa Kodjou was injured in the team’s match against Al Wahda in the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Cup final, and he is currently undergoing the treatment program that the medical team set for him.”
Hammad praised Al-Zaeem’s performance against Khor Fakkan in the league, stressing that the team played a good match, despite the absence of a large number of key players, explaining that the current focus is on the final of the continental championship.
It is noteworthy that the Congolese Laba Kodjo missed Al Ain’s quarter-final matches and the AFC Champions League semi-final, due to injury, but the team presented wonderful levels, and Moroccan star Sofiane Rahimi excelled remarkably in leading the team’s attack in the four matches against Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
. .