Shabab Al Ahli captain Federico Cartabia says they are proud to be one of the top four sides in Asia, but do not want to stop there.
The Dubai club will face Machida Zelvia on Tuesday night in the semi-final of the AFC Champions League Elite in Jeddah.
Reaching this point has been a taxing assignment. The Machida match will be their fourth in 11 days, and will kick off around 70 hours since the end of their extra-time quarter-final win over Buriram United.
As such, a fixture against a Japanese side known for their high intensity style will stretch the UAE double winners.
But the prize on offer – a place in Asian club football’s biggest fixture – should be enough to revive the players, according to their playmaker.
“Every day and every game, we try to fight to win,” Cartabia said. “The past three games have been very difficult for us, but I am happy because the team deserves to stay in this competition and go to the semi-final. I am proud of the team, the club and the fans, and we will continue.
“It is a great opportunity for us. We have one more game to get to the final, but I know it will be a difficult game and we need to go step by step.
“We have to fight. But if God gives us the chance to go [to the final], Inshallah we will take it.”
The exhausting quarter-final against Buriram in hot and dusty conditions – it kicked off just as a fierce sandstorm was abating – at least afforded the Shabab Al Ahli players a rare day off.
Coach Paulo Sousa is so fiercely driven to improvement that he even had them training the day after their late-night loss to Al Ain in the UAE Pro League earlier this month, before their trip to Jeddah.
They had Sunday off, and were back training again on Monday, before Tuesday’s semi-final. “We have to adapt,” Hamad Almeqbaali, Shabab Al Ahli’s goalkeeper, said of the workload. “Sometimes we only have two days of rest and play on the third day.
“This is the system in this tournament, and we adapt to it. I believe our players have recovered. We will be listening to the coach’s tactics, and by the game, we will be ready.
“We don’t want to stop here. We want to go as far as we can and go back to the UAE with a trophy.”
Asia’s top club title has been won eight times by Japanese clubs. Al Ain, who have won it twice, are the only UAE club to have been champions of Asia.
Having the chance to become the second from the Emirates provides strong motivation.
“I’m very proud to represent a country like the UAE, and Shabab Al Ahli club,” Sousa said. “I am very happy that we are one of the best four teams on this continent. This gives us great pride but we are not finished yet. We want to go even further.”
The encounter between the side currently placed second in the UAE Pro League and the third-placed side in the J-League should provide an intriguing clash of styles.
Sousa acknowledged he is a big fan of Japanese football, characterised by fast movement and high technical skills.
“Machida are very strong, and they play fast,” Sousa said. “They are able to adapt to any way of playing and they can change their structure. They have different ideas and are different from all the other teams we have played so far.
“They have unity and good individual skills as well. Personally, I am a fan of Japanese football and their tactics.
“They pass the ball very quickly, they are committed technically speaking and have good defence. They pose threats, especially in the offence.”
One of the most fascinating aspects of the tie is the contrast between the managers.
Sousa played for a number of Europe’s leading clubs in his playing days, followed by a 21-year career in management in the professional game.
The difference to his opposite number is stark. Go Kuroda spent 28 years coaching a high school football team before being recruited to coach Machida in 2023.
His switch into the professional game at the age of 52 has been remarkably successful.
He got Machida promoted from the second tier of Japanese football in his first season, then a third-place finish in the J-League last season qualified them for the AFC Champions League.
Kuroda acknowledged his side have benefited from an extra day of rest since their quarter-final win over Al Ittihad. But he thinks the prize on offer means neither set of players will feel the tiredness.
“In terms of the schedule we have an advantage but by the end of the game all the players to be exhausted,” Kuroda said.
“But this is a semi-final. It is such an important game I don’t expect the players to notice the exhaustion.”
