New boss Marcel Keizer has promised he will take nothing for granted on debut when his Al Jazira host prolific Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa’s star-studded Al Nassr in the Arab Club Champions Cup.
Former Ajax supremo Keizer, 49, inked a two-year deal in June to replace legendary fellow Dutchman Henk ten Cate. His first competitive task comes at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Monday versus big-spending Saudi Arabian giants in the opening tie of the first round.
The dethroned Arabian Gulf League champions face an opponent whose summer spend has landed the likes of ex-Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones, Watford’s Morocco winger Nordin Amrabat and Leicester City’s Musa for a reported €16.5 million (Dh69.2m).
“It’s the first official game for us in the Cup and we are looking forward to it,” said Keizer, who will be able to call on leading marksman Ali Mabkhout after he was granted a break from the UAE’s summer training camp in Austria. “Al Nassr are a good opponent and after four weeks of pre-season, it will be good to see where we are at this moment.
“For us, it’s very good and we are looking forward to the game. In terms of fitness, we are at 80 per cent because we are still in pre-season – but the same is for the opponent.
“It will be a nice game to see where we are.
“We are taking this competition very seriously. You will be able to see that in the line-up.
“This competition is a two-legged tie and we want to go far in this Cup. It’s a serious test.
“At the same time, it’s still pre-season and it’s difficult as a coach to see where we are at this moment. But it’s something will take seriously.”
تقديرا للعلاقات الاخوية بين الناديين الشقيقين 🇦🇪🇸🇦 قررت إدارة النادي توفير تذاكر مباراة #الجزيرة_النصر غدا بالمجان لمشجعي الفريقين..
— نادي الجزيرة (@AlJazira_uae) August 12, 2018
تتوفر تذاكر مشجعي النصر في البوابة 28 ومشجعي الجزيرة في البوابة 21 ويخصص يمين المنصة للعائلات
تفتح البوابات الساعة 05:45 pic.twitter.com/UUMbCAsKwI
Jazira limped home a distant seventh in the 2017/18 as serious internal problems bled onto the pitch. They’ve since lost the inspirational Ten Cate, plus sold standout Brazilian forward Romarinho to Jeddah’s Al Ittihad.
Keizer has added lightning-quick Ghanaian winger Ernest Asante and experienced Cameroon midfielder Sebastien Siani to his squad. Brazilian winger Leonardo is back in the fold after he spent last term on loan at Nassr.
The Riyadh side discovered a degree of stability last season under Uruguayan coach Jose Daniel Carreno. They have since exhibited serious ambition to improve on last term’s third-place finish in the Saudi Professional League.
Expectant fans, however, may be forced into waiting to see Nigeria’s record World Cup goal scorer in action.
“It won’t be an easy game,” said Carreno. “It will be a difficult game because it’s the first match of the season for both sides.
“Ahmed Musa has had little preparation and we will have to wait and see if he will be fit for the game.
“Since it’s a two-legged tie, we don’t want to attack too much as that will open for Jazira to score. We want to be as tight as possible in defence.”
The second leg will be played at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium on September 29.
