Al Shabab coach Marcos Paqueta has labelled his side’s clash with Al Jazira a “six pointer” as his team aim to consolidate second position.
Al Jazira can move into second if they can secure a victory in Abu Dhabi on Friday but it will certainly not be easy against an impressive Al Shaba side.
Both teams are chasing leaders Al Ahli, with Shabab three points adrift while Jazira are a point further back as both sides look to become genuinely involved in the title race.
While Paqueta has said his side’s target this season is still to take a top-four spot, he is desperate to open up some breathing space in second position.
“The coming game is a very important game, a six-point game for both teams,” said the Brazilian. “It is more for us because our short term target now is to maintain our second position.
“The target was to be in the top four after the half way point of the season and we will keep on with our target because such is the situation it demands we can’t look too far ahead, there is a long way to go.
“Our short term target is to protect second position then looking ahead and see how it goes.”
The Eagles are bolstered by the news that Uzbek midfielder Azizbek Haydorov returns from injury with Hassan Ibrahim the only absentee.
Al Jazira will be a changed side to the one that took all three points from Shabab earlier in the season thanks to a slew of transfers that have seen stars Ricardo Oliveira and Nelson Valdez swapped for Felipe Caicedo and Jucilei Da Silva.
