DOHA // Zlatko Dalic says his Al Ain players must forget about last month’s Asian Champions League victory against El Jaish and focus only on fighting for a place in the final when the last-four clash reconvenes on Tuesday.
The 2003 champions, seeking to make their third continental final and first in 11 years, hold the advantage against the Qataris going into the semi-final second leg at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium after triumphing 3-1 at home three weeks ago.
El Jaish may be relatively inexperienced at this level — until this season, they had never been beyond the last 16 — but they did defeat Al Ain twice in the group stages earlier this year.
More from the Asian Champions League semi-final:
• Comment: Al Ain cannot afford to rest on first leg lead, El Jaish will make them pay
• Sabri Lamouchi: El Jaish 'must be smart and passionate' to overturn semi-final deficit
• Omar Abdulrahman: Man-of-the-match means nothing — being champions of Asia does
• Video: A fan's view of Omar Abdulrahman's stunning free-kick in the semi-final first leg
The UAE side therefore understand they cannot take anything for granted on Tuesday, especially since they were one round from the final two years ago before being eliminated by Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. Dalic, who was in charge for that tie, warned his side against complacency.
“It will be a big, big game for both teams and a big, big challenge, because we are only 90 minutes away from the final,” Dalic said. “We don’t have any calculations or time to waste. We will play this game like it was 0-0 in the first leg. I don’t even want to think about the first game.
“The game will be open from both sides and it will be a big fight and a fair fight. They have the same targets and the same goal. We will see who is happy after the game.”
Dalic, who has only first-choice right-back Mohammed Ahmed missing, drew encouragement from Al Ain’s away form thus far in the competition. After losing at El Jaish on Matchday 2 in Group D, they are unbeaten outside the UAE, with three wins from four matches. In fact, since Dalic took charge in March 2014, Al Ain have played 30 Champions League fixtures and lost only four times.
“But twice was against Jaish, so there is big respect for our opponents,” Dalic said. “Our only target is to make it to the final. Our goal is to repeat the games we played away in the knockout stages at Lokomotiv and Zobahan. We want to win this game and will play a good game.”
Dalic, meanwhile, denied his UAE internationals will still be reeling from last week’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Saudi Arabia. Al Ain had seven players in Mahdi Ali’s squad, with Ismail Ahmed, Mohanad Salem and Omar Abdulrahman all playing the entire 90 minutes in Jeddah.
Asked if that disappointment could negatively impact his players, Dalic said: “Maybe a little, but it is a different competition. This is a fight for their club for the final. It is now a big challenge for our players, as maybe if they do this it will be the biggest result of their careers.
“Of course, the last result of the national team does not give confidence to my players. But when they come back to their club, they change their mind and they change everything. They will fight for what is in front of us.”
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