Moataz Al-Shami (Dubai)
Al Ain’s technical staff, led by Argentine Crespo, decided to take advantage of the league matches, during the current period, to prepare its players for the second leg of the AFC Champions League final against Japan’s Yokohama next Saturday, with the aim of improving the technical and physical levels of all team members and substitutes available to participate, in addition to raising the efficiency of some of the key players. By fielding them in part of the matches, as happened with Kaku, who participated in the Kalba Ittihad match in the “23rd round” of the “ADNOC Professional League”, instead of Saeed Jumaa, in addition to Matias Palacios, who played in place of Khaled Al Balushi.
At the summit against Al-Wahda next Monday, “Al-Zaeem” will continue to field a mixed squad between members of the starting lineup and others from the bench. A number of starters will also be given the opportunity partially and gradually, which contributes to the continued sensitivity of the matches to all elements, and to maintaining the physical and technical fitness of the most important players. The influential players in the “Violet” performance in the continental forum.
Al Ain lost to Ittihad Kalba by a goal, and its score froze at 39 points, in fourth place in the league, after Al-Zaeem began implementing a policy of exempting key players from participating in the past rounds, with the aim of preparing them for the Champions League final.
Through this tactical philosophy, Crespo intends to re-employ and equip the “trump cards” during local matches, which is what happened with Laba Kodjo, who returned from injury, and who is still far from the sensitivity of the matches, as he was given an opportunity to participate, but he did not fully regain his level. The technical staff is currently trying to give the opportunity to Sultan Al Shamsi, to be one of the winning options technically, and perhaps he will be introduced in part of the Yokohama match as a substitute for Alaba, in addition to the presence of elements capable of participating, and the focus is on them to raise their technical efficiency, such as Abdel Karim Traoré and Gosna.
For his part, Argentine Hernan Crespo, Al Ain’s technical director, confirmed that things seemed clear in the confrontation with Ittihad Kalba, due to the technical staff’s keenness to provide the opportunity for players with the lowest rate of participation in official competitions, especially since they are an integral part of the Al Ain senior team, and he pointed out that the staff The technician seeks to raise the level of everyone, and prepare 23 players at the same level, so that the best and most players who have the physical and technical presence in the upcoming second leg of the Champions League final are selected, especially the substitutes who are included when needed.
He added, “We were keen to give the main players a rest against Ittihad Kalba, which they desperately need now, before facing the second leg of the Champions League final, and we look forward during the upcoming matches to achieving the best results, to improve our ranking in the league, while the opportunity is still available for that.”
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