Al Ain coach Zoran Mamic said his team need to play ‘smart’ if they hope to even dream of defeating footballing behemoths Real Madrid in Saturday’s Club World Cup final.
Real Madrid enter the final at the Zayed Sports City Stadium as favourites to lift a record third straight world crown.
Standing in their way are Al Ain, the only UAE side to have ever won the Asian Champions League – in 2004 – and Mamic said it is possible for his side to pull off the biggest result in Arab football.
“We’re almost like a ‘smart car’ against a Mercedes, but every now and again a ‘smart car’ can beat a Mercedes,” Mamic was quoted as saying by AFP.
Mamic’s team defeated River Plate in the semi-finals via penalties after an enthralling clash against the Argentines who had arrived in Abu Dhabi days after defeating Boca Juniors in the disrupted Copa Libertadores final.
However, Mamic admitted Real are the clear favourites.
“The strength of Real Madrid is the whole team, every player can make the difference,” he said.
“Even the defence… (Sergio) Ramos, (Dani) Carvajal, Marcelo, (Raphael) Varane… it could be anyone, so we can’t just focus on stopping the attack, but the whole team.”
However, Mamic believes his side can go one better than fellow Abu Dhabi club Al Jazira, who last year gave Real a tough fight in the semi-finals.
“Last year we have the example of Al Jazira, against who Real had 10 chances to score and didn’t, then Al Jazira took their one chance and Real struggled to get back into it,” added Mamic.
