Fabio Lima in demand
Did Fabio Lima have a legal Uzbekistan passport? We will probably never find out because Sharjah, the club who had brought the issue to the fore and had forwarded "evidence" to the Football Association, have now withdrawn their complaint.
In his most recent game, Lima did not seem very concerned about the raging controversy, scoring in the third minute against Al Shabab to take his tally to nine from the last seven matches.
The 21-year-old Brazilian’s performance in the Wasl resurgence has made him hot property and news reports claim a number of Qatari clubs are in touch with his agent, tempting him with lucrative deals. There is talk also of giving the youngster Qatari citizenship should he take up an offer.
If the reports are true, Wasl, who signed Lima for US$750,000 (Dh2.75 million) on a one-year loan deal from Atletico Goianiense, could find it tough to keep him in Dubai.
Shabab want ACL spot
A year ago, Al Shabab were Al Ahli’s closest rivals as the league headed into the final six rounds, but their campaign took a stunning nosedive and the Mamzar club finished fourth, managing only two points from those final six matches.
The disappointing finish cost Marcos Paqueta his job and the collapse still haunts a few of the players, according to the man who replaced Paqueta.
Caio Junior is trying his best to keep up their morale as he sets his sights on scripting Shabab’s return to the Asian Champions League.
“The Champions League is really important,” he said. “It is a completely different level of football and I know because I have been there with Al Jazira and Al Gharafa. So we need to play in Asia next season. That is the biggest thing for us; our main target.”
Shabab’s last appearance in the continental championship came in 2013, when they made it to the round of 16 as Group B runners-up before losing to Iranian club Esteghlal. Currently third in the Arabian Gulf League table, they could get at least a play-off berth for next year’s Champions League if they can avoid a slip-up like last season.
Cosmin and controversy
Cosmin Olaroiu has been one of the best coaches this league has seen, and no one in his right mind would contest that, given his three league titles in the past three seasons, besides three Super Cups and a League Cup.
This season, however, has not gone according to plan and, as a result, Olaroiu has been questioned over some of his tactical decisions.
Last week, the Romanian was forced to explain his decision to replace striker Ahmed Khalil 20 minutes after bringing him on as a substitute for Waleed Hussain in the 55th minute.
According to Olaroiu, he had sent Khalil out to get a goal and two minutes after they took the lead, courtesy of an own-goal by Emirates defender Mahmoud Hassan, he decided to bring the striker off as he wanted to keep him “fresh”.
The Ahli fans, however, are not buying that explanation and rumours are rife of a rift between Olaroiu and Khalil. The conspiracy theorists, then, will be watching the next match against Al Nasr with much interest.
The ‘real’ Baniyas?
The Abu Dhabi club have been a real enigma this season, with their wildly swinging form and fortunes.
They failed to win in their first five matches, which included meetings with Kalba, Emirates and Sharjah. That lean trot was followed by four consecutive wins, including a 7-0 drubbing of Fujairah.
Now, they are back on a winless streak. Their last victory came in the 15th round, when they beat Kalba by a solitary goal. Luis Garcia’s men lost four matches in succession after that and have split points in their last three matches.
With a run-in that includes Al Jazira, Al Dhafra, Al Ain and Ahli, Baniyas might struggle to break that winless streak. But they have surprised us before. Several times.
arizvi@thenational.ae
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