Harry Kewell has urged Yokohama F Marinos to write their names into history against Al Ain on Saturday.
The Japanese side hold a 2-1 advantage ahead of the second leg of the AFC Champions League final.
Yokohama have been champions of Japan seven times, but this is the first time they have reached the final of Asia’s showpiece competition.
Kewell, who took over as manager last year, says his side are ready to meet the challenge of becoming continental champions.
“We know it is going to be difficult,” Kewell said. “We have earned the right to be here. We have a one-goal lead.
“We know Al Ain are going to try to intimidate, to make it loud, and to make it uncomfortable for us. We know that about football.
“But we also know what we are capable of doing. We know that if you want to win you have to face these challenges. We are ready to face this challenge.
“We are ready to upgrade. We are ready to write our name in history, but we know we can’t do that without challenges.
“It will be a big challenge for us, but we are going to look forward to it, and do that with a smile on our faces.”
Much has been made of the fact the final pits together Kewell and Hernan Crespo, the Al Ain manager, in opposing dugouts.
Despite scoring two goals, Crespo was on the losing AC Milan side in the 2005 Uefa Champions League against a Liverpool team which included Kewell.
Kewell suggested his playing experiences will count for little when his side bid to defend their advantage at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday.
“As a player, yes, I have been there and seen it,” Kewell said. “As a manager, it is new to me.
“I am not going to say I have experienced it before. But I am enjoying the experience.
“The thing I am enjoying about it is seeing my players enjoying it. I’m enjoying seeing the players play with a smile on their face.
“Playing the right way, the way we want to play – that is what makes me happy. That is what makes me proud, and what gives me confidence.
“I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. But what I can tell you is my team are ready.”
Crespo used his own press conference on the eve of the second leg to implore Al Ain’s fans to make the stadium as difficult as possible for their visitors.
Kewell greeted that idea with a smile that said: “Bring it on.” He even invoked a little of the spirit of his predecessor as Yokohama manager – and fellow Australian – Kevin Muscat in suggesting his side would relish a febrile atmosphere.
Muscat, a famously fierce player, spent two seasons of his playing career at Millwall, the London side whose fans defiantly sing: “No one likes us, we don’t care.”
Kewell intimated his side know the feeling. “He [Crespo] is calling for help, which is fair enough,” Kewell said.
“You call on your supporters to try to make it intimidating. But we are used to going places where a lot of people don’t like us because of the way we play football.
“We are going to be prepared for that. We are not worried about it. In fact, the louder and more intimidating they are, probably the better it will be for us.
“We are looking forward to the atmosphere tomorrow. Our team are ready for it, and I think it will be exciting.”
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
