DUBAI // Cosmin Olaroiu says his Al Ahli players will seize the opportunity to write their name in history when they take on Al Hilal in the second leg of their Asian Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.
The Dubai club hold a slight advantage going into the return match at the Rashid Stadium following last month’s 1-1 draw in Riyadh. Rodrigo Lima’s second-half header means a stalemate would seal Ahli’s place in the final on the competition’s away-goal rule and thus ensure they become only the second UAE club after Al Ain to contest the showpiece.
Ahli have never made it this deep into the tournament – they participate in the knockout stages for the first time – while Hilal, twice champions, were finalists as recently as last year.
However, Olaroiu said he has full confidence in his side as they seek to dispatch their vastly experienced opponents.
“At this stage we have only one way: look forward, chest up and go to fight,” the Romanian said. “This is the only way. It doesn’t matter the experience, the quality – when they step on the pitch everything will be forgotten. Hilal have experience, they have quality, they have strong points and weak points. Like all teams.
“But in this moment my players want more than anyone to step up and to play a final. It’s a unique moment in life, we don’t know when it will repeat again, and so it’s a good opportunity. We want to take benefit from this.”
Olaroiu, who has a full squad to choose from, knows Hilal well, having managed the Saudi Arabian club for almost two years from 2007. In that time, he delivered the league title and twice guided his side the Saudi Crown Prince Cup.
Hilal, though, have been weakened by the suspension of centre-back Digao and the club’s decision to drop goalkeeper Khalid Sharhili because of disciplinary issues. Olaroiu insists Hilal still provide a stern examination, though, and emphasised that his knowledge of the Saudis will not represent much of an advantage.
“Everyone has the tendency to believe football is a science or mathematical,” he said. “Football is a show, it is made by artists and in any moment they can improvise, do things that are not expected. That’s why everyone looks for the player with quality, the players who decide by themselves.
“Of course, always you know the opponent, you know how they move, how they will attack, how they will defend. But you don’t know when they will shoot, how they will shoot. This depends on the quality of the players.
“That’s why everyone looks to bring players that they can decide and Hilal have a lot of these. My information, my knowledge of them helps, but it will not be the deciding factor. This is the game for whoever has more psychological power, more strength. They will succeed.”
Olaroiu urged his Ahli side to forget about the first-leg result, while he also called for the match officials to not be affected by the magnitude of the occasion. Earlier this month, the Asian Football Confederation decided to replace Iranian referee Alireza Faghani with Bahraini’s Nawaf Shukralla after Hilal’s officials requested the change.
“Personally, I don’t agree a referee to be changed because this can create a lot of pressure for another one to succeed,” Olaroiu said. “I hope the referee tomorrow has enough personality and he will show his personality to have the right judgment on the pitch and not be pressed by things that happened in the past. Tomorrow will be a big test for this referee.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE