Al Ain are confident their recent record in the Asian Champions League can inspire them to overcome Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal when the two meet in the quarter-finals later this summer.
The Garden City club, runners-up in last year’s competition, were pitted against the Saudi champions at the draw for the last eight in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
The Gulf rivals face off across two legs, with the first match taking place at Al Ain’s Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on August 21. The return encounter will be played in Riyadh on September 11.
Al Ain, still the only UAE team to have been crowned continental champions, were close to emulating their 2003 side last November, but were defeated 3-2 on aggregate in the final by South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. The 12-time UAE champions also reached the semi-finals in 2014, but were eliminated 4-2 on aggregate by Hilal.
This year, Al Ain saw off Iran’s Esteghlal convincingly in the last 16 having qualified for the knockout stages by topping their group. As such, Ahmed Humaid Al Mazrouie, vice-chairman of Al Ain Football Club, is convinced Zoran Mamic’s men can have another extended attempt at capturing the title.
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DRAW (First team play first leg at home)
– Al Ain v Al Hilal (Aug 21, Sep 11)
– Persepolis v Al Ahli KSA (Aug 22, Sep 12)
– Shanghai SIPG v Guangzhou Evergrande (Aug 22, Sep 12)
– Kawasaki Frontale v Urawa Red Diamonds (Aug 23, Sep 13)
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“Any team that wants to compete for the Champions League title is required to overcome all its rivals,” he said. “The truth is that Al Ain have become a respected opponent in Asia and have a strong reputation for achieving the best results, especially in what they have done in the past three seasons.
“The current team have the experience of important continental matches, have great potential and a strong desire to achieve their own objectives, which is to translate the generous support from the club’s leadership and give the people of the UAE another Champions League title.”
Al Marzoui is hoping history can repeat itself to a certain extent this year. In 2003, Al Ain defeated both Esteghlal and Hilal on route to lifting the trophy, although the competition was configured differently and the sides met in the group stages.
In the last-16 second leg last week, Al Ain underlined their status again as one of West Asia’s lead clubs when they overturned a 1-0 deficit from the initial match in Tehran to triumph 6-2 on aggregate.
“As I said, the eight teams have an equal chance of reaching the final, but I sensed the spirit in the performance and character of the players in coming back against Esteghlal,” Al Marzoui said. “I’ve been even more optimistic since the draw was made, because Al Ain faced Esteghlal and Hilal in 2003 before winning the title.
“However, football is not about history. It’s about being strong in the next match and showing a good performance to achieve the desired result for your team.”
Al Ain will need to be at their best to defeat Hilal. The Riyadh club, twice Asian champions before the competition was rebranded in 2003, have enjoyed a stellar season, winning both the Saudi top flight and the King’s Cup.
Like Al Ain, they qualified for the Champions League knockouts as group winners, while in the last 16 they defeated Iran’s Esteghlal Khuzestan 4-2 on aggregate. Hilal are undefeated in this year’s tournament.
Faisal Al Farshan, the Hilal team manager, said: “Al Ain have a great history of achievements, especially in Asian in the last three years, so it will not be an easy match. But with all our respect to Al Ain and their fans, our target is to get past Al Ain and go to the next round.
“We are looking forward to a match worthy of the name and reputation of the two big clubs. After Hilal qualified for the quarter-finals, I expected to face Al Ain. The two teams are meeting in what is like an early final – I wish both all the best.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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