Abu Dhabi: If anyone can give a better insight on Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, it’s Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic.
The Croatian, who coached Al Hilal last year before switching to Al Ain, will definitely have a trick or two up his sleeves when both sides meet in the first leg semi-finals of the AFC Champions League at the King Fahd International Stadium on Tuesday.
“Al Hilal is a big club, the best club in Asia in the 20th century and for me this is a special match. I’m playing against my former club, against players that I used to coach, so there are no big secrets,” revealed Dalic at the media conference in Riyadh, acknowledging that the knowledge of his former side would come in handy.
“I’m well aware of Al Hilal and their players and also they know my style and my work. I respect Al Hilal as a team, but also I respect my players and my current club Al Ain, and I believe that we will move forward to the finals,” added Dalic, who had helped Al Hilal reach the last 16 of the AFC Champions League last year.
Al Ain made it to the last four after an authoritative second leg win over Al Ittihad in Makkah last month while Al Hilal confirmed their berth by edging out Qatar’s Al Sadd 1-0 on aggregate.
“It is a big result for our club and for me personally. To be placed amongst the four best teams in Asia is a superb achievement, but we want more, and I’m confident that we can make an even better result,” said Dalic.
The coach admitted that lack of competitive matches may be a hindrance for Al Ain, whose last test was in the Champions League quarter-finals. Their Saudi rivals, on the other hand, have played four matches in the Saudi League and have remained unbeaten.
“It is a bad situation for us since we have played only two competitive games in this season, but we must be ready since there are no excuses. We won our last three away games in the AFC Champions League, but we are aware that we will be facing 70,000 loud fans, but we are ready for it.
“For us, the game against Al Hilal will be more intense, after all it is a semi-final. There are four teams left in competition, who are the best teams in Asia, so it will be a tough two games,” added Dalic, who will once again be banking on star Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan to come good.
Gyan has been in supreme touch in this tournament and has scored at better than a goal a game. He along with playmaker Omar Abdul Rahman has been a lethal force and Al Hilal will be wary about it.
Al Hilal on the other hand will be hoping that Nasser Al-Shamrani fires. Al Shamrani is just behind Gyan in the scorers’ list and will have to play a lead role to see his team home in this crunch outing.
The match kicks-off at 9.30pm Saudi time (10.30pm UAE).
