Al Jazira go into today’s game at the Mohammad bin Zayed Stadium with a host of first team players missing as they look to soldier through their tie with Al Shaab.
Among those are Abdelaziz Barrada and Khalid Sabeal, who miss out due to suspension – three yellows and a red card respectively – while Ahmad Rabea and Khalfan Mubarak are away on international duty with the UAE’s youth team.
Matters got even worse for Jazira with first teamers Abdulla Moussa, Hamid Rabea, Salem Masoud and Jacob Hosani all on the injury list and unable to feature against Al Shaab.
On the plus side, coach Walter Zenga will welcome the return of prolific striker Ali Mabkhout from injury.
Despite the depleted squad on his hands, Zenga firmly believes in the ability of the backup players.
“I have confidence in my squad,” said the Italian. “We have good players who are young and strong and can trouble any team they face.
“I stress that our players are strong and can deal with any opponent they come up against.
“The absence of so many players does not cause me any kind of concern, and I have great confidence in the elements of my team, all I am thinking about is what I usually think about; preparing my team to the optimal level.”
Al Jazira come into the game off the back of a heartbreaking draw 1-1 with Sharjah, who snatched a last minute equaliser causing some to question whether the players are up to the requisite fitness level to sustain a title challenge, an assertion Zenga rejects.
“I refuse to agree with the prevailing view that Al Jazira have improved defensively to the detriment of our attack or that the players are lacking focus and fitness in the final minutes of games,” he said.
“There was a mistake against Sharjah but we could have won if we had got the penalty in the early part of the second half.”
The result was a setback after 2-1 wins over Al Ain and Bani Yas.
Another player unlikely to feature today is out-of-favour striker Nelson Valdez.
The club’s top brass met late last night after training to decide whether or not to keep the Paraguayan, and it is believed they decided to dispense of the striker who has failed to make an impact at the club since arriving in the summer from Valencia.
Who will replace the Paraguayan is as yet unknown with Zenga insisting in private that his first priority at the moment is getting three points from today’s game with Al Shaab.
Beyond that, the Italian is believed to have an open mind as to who will come into his squad.
It is understood that it was Valdez’s fitness woes that have put him in the club’s bad books following a career dominated by periods on the sidelines, including a twomonth layoff in the first half of the season after going down against Al Wasl.
