DUBAI // Al Ahli’s assistant coach has warned the Arabian Gulf League leaders not to underestimate Dubai club in Wednesday evening’s encounter at the Rashid Stadium.
Ahli entertain the team ranked 11 places below them in the rankings, with Dubai coming off their worst defeat of the season: last Friday’s 5-1 reverse at Al Nasr.
In all, the Al Awer side have won only two of their 13 league fixtures, and will hold little hope in visiting the division’s best, with Ahli having registered 10 victories to enjoy a three-point lead at the top of the table.
However, Catalin Raducan, who again heads the dugout as coach Cosmin Olaroiu contests a touchline ban, insists his players fully understand the difficulty of tonight’s tie.
“For sure, Dubai will fight in this game to take something,” Raducan said. “We don’t judge them after the last game against Nasr because the result does not reflect exactly what happened.
“We watched them against Al Wahda [in last month’s 1-1 draw] when they played a very good game, so we must be ready for this. There are no easy games for us; we can make it easy if we’re concentrated on the pitch, but we can also make it very difficult if we think we’ve an easy game and go onto the pitch with that mind.
“Until now, though, the players have shown motivation in every match. We trust they know the importance of this game.”
Despite Raducan’s caution, Ahli will realise the match offers them the perfect opportunity to reclaim a six-point lead over second-placed Al Shabab, especially with the latter travelling to champions Al Ain on Thursday. Again, though, Raducan is urging focus.
“It’s not important to look at another team,” he said. “Last season we did that and you saw what happened. For us, it’s Dubai at home and we expect to win the game.
“First, and most importantly, is to win and then we can look to the others. For now, all the players and staff are concentrated only on that. We’re first in the league and have one aim. I’m sure our players will do it.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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