If Kawasaki Frontale really are carrying the expectations of the rest of Asia in Saturday night’s AFC Champions League Elite final against Al Ahli, they are shouldering the burden with impressive composure.
Fresh from his tactical masterclass in disposing of Al Nassr – the cash-rich Riyadh giants with the world’s best paid player, Cristiano Ronaldo, in their ranks – their coach, Shigetoshi Hasebe, was a picture of poise ahead of the final.
He lined up for pictures beside the trophy wearing a casual, club-issue black hoodie, cutting a contrast to his dapper, suited opposite number, Matthias Jaissle.
Reaching the final has been enough of an achievement already for Kawasaki given the relative resources of the three Saudi Arabian clubs who made the semi-finals, and the rest of their competitors.
But Hasebe says all the talk about finances counts for little given the prize awaiting the winners of Saturday’s encounter at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in the port city.
“Regarding the budget, it is a very important factor, but football players don’t play the games with a wallet or credit card on the pitch,” Hasebe said.
“Of course, the budget will have some effect, but football is played on the pitch.”
Although perhaps not solely between the white lines, if the pedigree of Al Ahli’s support is anything to go by.
Bleeding green
Ivan Toney said after the semi-final demolition of their Saudi Pro League rivals Al Hilal that Ahli have a 12th man in the form of their fans.
And in that fixture, they only had half the ground. For the final, there will be a few hundred Kawasaki fans hidden away in one corner, trying to get themselves heard, while the rest of the 63,000 stadium will be like a sea of green.
“They’ve always been behind us but obviously the last game was incredible in our stadium,” Riyad Mahrez, Ahli’s winger, said.
“I don’t think [the ratio of supporters] will be half-half, so we need them as much as possible. We’re going to give everything, and we want them to push us until the end. Because we need them, and without them we can’t give the last effort that we want for all the club [and] the city.”
One shot
Whoever wins, there will be a new name inscribed on the trophy. Although they are the outsiders, Kawasaki are more used to success in the recent past.
The club won the J League title four times in five seasons between 2017 and 2021. Ahli, for their part, have been without a major trophy since they did a domestic treble in 2016.
But, of course, the influx of foreign talent over the past two years means Ahli are scarcely short of trophy-winning pedigree.
Roberto Firmino was a title and Uefa Champions League winner with Liverpool in England, while Mahrez was himself a serial medal winner with Leicester and Manchester City.
“The most important is to give everything and to enjoy because maybe some people think the final is every season, but some people might play only one final in their career,” Mahrez said.
“So they have to give everything to lift the trophy."
Classy coaches
Both coaches will feel vindicated by reaching this far. Hasebe had a tough act to follow when he was appointed to replace Toru Oniki last year.
The club’s run of success under the previous manager, winning four titles in five seasons – and their first ever J League titles, at that – was unparalleled.
But Hasebe showed his own capabilities with the tactical excellence that brought about the demise of Nassr and Ronaldo in the last game – with one less day of prep than their opposition.
Jaissle, by contrast, looked to be on his way out of Ahli earlier this season, only for the club hierarchy to listen to their fans, who said they wanted him to stay.
“I’m really proud to be the coach of this team, with these fans how the fans were backing me up also in difficult times, and supported the team and myself in an incredible way,” Jaissle said.
“That’s also part of why we’re now in the final. The atmosphere has always been amazing and tomorrow it will be even better.”
On the brink of history
Continental titles echo through the ages. Both sides know how success in the final could change the circumstances of their club.
For Ahli, it will mean no longer living in the shadow of their Jeddah rivals Al Ittihad, who have been champions of Asia twice, or Al Hilal, the four-time winners from Riyadh.
Kawasaki would become the seventh club from Japan to win the title, and Yasuto Wakizaka, their captain, says they are intent on making that happen.
“Maybe some people couldn’t come here to watch and were watching on their screens at midnight in Japan,” Wakizaka said.
“People are supporting us in different ways, and for them we will try our best. If we win or lose, the two things will have a very different meaning.
“If we win against such a big club as Al Ahli or Al Nassr, it is very big for the club. In the future as well, if Kawasaki want to become a more global club, this is a very important game as well. So we will try to become the champions tomorrow night.”
