ABU DHABI // With a new competition comes new hopes, expectations, objectives and confidence.
Walter Zenga, the Al Jazira coach, believes his team has reached a level of performance in the domestic Arabian Gulf League to allow them to head into their Asian Champions League (ACL) opener against Al Rayyan of Qatar on Tuesday full of hope.
Jazira are third in the Arabian Gulf League. They have amassed the most points of any team over the past 10 league games – 23 – one more than the leaders Al Ahli and three more than second-place Al Shabab.
“The domestic and continental championships are two totally different competitions, but such results and form would certainly give the players a lot of hopes and the confidence,” Zenga said.
“Those are the positives we can take forward, but I repeat, these are totally different competitions.
“It is the same in Europe and same in Asia, because the teams play against foreign players, they play different styles and present different interpretations by the foreign referees in the games.”
Zenga said he has a full squad at his disposal. Jazira play their first game in this season’s competition at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, but the Italian said home advantage would count for little.
“I don’t see how it will make any difference. Al Ain won their first two home games, yet they failed to go beyond the group stage last year,” he said.
Sultan Bargash, the Jazira midfielder, is eager to get their campaign off to a bright start.
“The first game is always important for us,” he said. “Rayyan, as we know, are a strong team, but if we can win the first game it would give the players the motivation to take the momentum forward.”
Rayyan have no intention of playing for a point.
“We have arrived with a clear mindset, which is to win this game,” Jesus Malagon, the Rayyan assistant coach, said.
“We know Jazira are a big club and have some good players in their squad. They have also the experience of playing in the ACL. They have an Italian coach and they base their work on tactics.
“Jazira play compact and know what they are doing on the pitch. We have studied our opponent well and have come well prepared to, hopefully, return with a good result.”
Rayyan’s domestic results do not look as impressive as Jazira’s. They are struggling in the Qatar Stars League, sitting 12th out of 14 teams, and are second behind Al Sadd in Group A in the cup competition.
“These are two different competitions and when we are not doing well in one, it is more a reason we want to do better in the ACL,” Malagon said.
apassela@thenational.ae
