Quique Sanchez Flores has come to terms with Al Ain and will take over as coach from next week, The National has learned.
A source at the club today said the deal has been sealed, and the 48-year-old Spaniard will run the team after tonight’s Arabian Gulf League match at Al Dhafra.
The deal completes what is, essentially, a swap of coaches between Al Ain and Al Ahli, currently the country’s most prominent clubs.
Cosmin Olaroiu led Al Ain to league championships the past two seasons but jumped to Ahli during the summer, replacing Sanchez Flores, who left at the end of his two-year contract with the Dubai club.
Ahli won two trophies under the Spaniard’s guidance, the League Cup in 2012 and the President’s Cup earlier this year.
The trade of coaches figures to make the recent rivalry between the club, which most recently included Ahli winning the Super Cup from Al Ain in a shootout, even more interesting.
Sanchez Flores, a defender, played for Valencia, Real Madrid and Zaragoza. His first job managing a first team was at Getafe, in 2004, and since then he has led Valencia, whom he took to the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals, Benfica, Atletico Madrid and Ahli.
He replaces Jorge Fossati, the Uruguayan who replaced Olaroiu, only to be dismissed by Al Ain after 49 days, and ends a week of speculation that variously had him close to signing, stalled in negotiations and a candidate for the Galatasaray job.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2
Results
3pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m, Winner: Lancienegaboulevard, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Fawzi Nass (trainer).
3.35pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner: Al Mukhtar Star, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
4.10pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Speedy Move, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar.
5.20pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Moqarrar, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy.
5.55pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Dolman, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
More on animal trafficking
Champion v Champion (PFL v Bellator)
Heavyweight: Renan Ferreira v Ryan Bader
Middleweight: Impa Kasanganay v Johnny Eblen
Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo v Patricio Pitbull
Catchweight: Ray Cooper III v Jason Jackson
Showcase Bouts
Heavyweight: Bruno Cappelozza (former PFL World champ) v Vadim Nemkov (former Bellator champ)
Light Heavyweight: Thiago Santos (PFL title contender) v Yoel Romero (Bellator title contender)
Lightweight: Clay Collard (PFL title contender) v AJ McKee (former Bellator champ)
Featherweight: Gabriel Braga (PFL title contender) v Aaron Pico (Bellator title contender)
Lightweight: Biaggio Ali Walsh (pro debut) v Emmanuel Palacios (pro debut)
Women’s Lightweight: Claressa Shields v Kelsey DeSantis
Featherweight: Abdullah Al Qahtani v Edukondal Rao
Amateur Flyweight: Malik Basahel v Vinicius Pereira
The five pillars of Islam
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
