Al Jazira coach Walter Zenga has insisted that today’s opponents Al Ahli will be deserving Arabian Gulf League winners.
The two clubs meet at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, with the third-placed hosts 13 points behind their opponents.
Leaders Ahli are yet to secure the title, but are hot favourites after nearest rivals Al Shabab lost 2-1 against Al Wahda yesterday.
Today’s match is the first of a double-header between the sides after Jazira’s semi-final victory on penalties against Al Dhafra secured an Arabian Gulf Cup final meeting with the Red Knights on April 19.
Zenga says he is looking forward to that fixture, while lamenting his team falling too far behind to challenge them in the AGL. He said: “It is one nice game, as we play them again in a few weeks.
“They are not champions yet mathematically, but a nine-point lead with five to play is hard to lose. They deserve to be champions, as they have played nice football.
“They would have cared about us until the game we lost in Ajman [on February 7].They would have been thinking about us as important opponents, but then the gap grew too big.”
Dubai-based Ahli’s rise to the top of the table is the culmination of their steady recent progression. In 2011-12 they finished fifth in the league and lifted the Etisalat Cup, while in 2012-13 they won the President’s Cup and came second.
Jazira have been on the upturn since Zenga took over in October, and he is sure they could follow a similar path in the future.
“The admiration for their team [Al Ahli] is very high,” the Italian said. “It is important to congratulate them. But, we want to be competitive with them, we want to show if they do these things in three years then we can do the same.”
Zenga insisted ahead of the clash with Ahli that he is not concerned that his side are on a five-match winless streak in normal time. Jazira have dropped off the domestic pace after failing to claim a league victory since March 11.
This dry spell continued in midweek, when Iranians Esteghlal inflicted their first AFC Champions League defeat of the season.
“The numeric is true that we have not won [in normal time] in five games,” the 53-year-old said. “This can happen in football, it is not the end of the world.
“We are not thinking about five games without a win. We are still working for the next game, and remove quickly what happened in the last game.
“Of course, the happiness is different when you come from a lost game. But it is part of the sport, and part of our jobs.”
Jazira will be without suspended striker Felipe Caicedo, while Abdullah Mousa is missing through injury after receiving a heavy foul against Esteghlal.
For Ahli, playmaker Luis Jimenez is undergoing treatment and it is not known if he will be available.
With only five matches remaining, the visitors to the Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium are currently in a dominant position at the top of the table.
Assistant coach Catalin Raducan has, however, cautioned the Ahli players from thinking they have already secured the league title.
“The team will play the same way that they have recently, and play in order to earn three points and win the game,” he said.
“The advantage we have in points is vast, and the biggest problems that can confront us is if the players think that the league has ended.”
