Al Ain's excellent adventure began in China early yesterday and will end in Japan next week, nine days and two matches in the Far East that could vault the club into contention in the Asian Champions League (ACL) Group F.
The Pro League side play Hangzhou Greentown of China tomorrow and Nagoya Grampus on April 12, the latter match to make up a March 15 fixture that was postponed after earthquakes and a tsunami ravaged Japan.
Al Ain's 43-man travel party, led by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed, the new chairman of the club's board, arrived in Hangzhou, a city of nearly two million people in east China, after a charter flight from Al Ain.
The trip represents an opportunity for the most decorated side in UAE football to make something more of a lost Pro League season.
Al Ain fell 1-0 in their ACL opener to visitors Seoul FC last month. Hangzhou Greentown have three points from two matches, including a loss at Seoul. Nagoya Grampus and Al Ain have zero points from one match each.
According to the Al Ain website, Sheikh Abdullah said: "I think that the continental championship is important to refine some young players and to get experience." He also noted that "the AFC championship is still in the beginning".
Al Ain ended a 12-game Pro League winless streak with a 2-0 victory over Al Wahda last week, giving renewed hope that the nine-time league champions may yet be a factor in the ACL, which the Abu Dhabi side won in 2003.
Mohanned al Enazi, the veteran defender, said the presence of the club's board of directors with the travelling party would spur on the team.
He said: "The morale of everyone is high and we are trying to bring Al Ain back to its natural position as one of the best clubs in Asia."
The club have been invigorated of late by the production of Elias Rebeiro, the Brazilian forward who scored twice against Wahda, and by the addition of the Romanian striker Valetin Badea, formerly of Steaua Bucharest.
Luis Ramirez, the Honduran forward, and Bari scored for Hangzhou in their 2-0 victory over Nagoya Grampus.
Weather should not be a factor in the game. The forecast calls for a temperature of around 7°C at kick off, with a 10 per cent chance of no precipitation.
Al Ain are playing in an East group because they had to qualify in group play as the No 3 team in the 2010 Pro League table.
