DUBAI // Luiz Felipe Scolari has urged his Guangzhou Evergrande players to ensure he adds the Asian Champions League crown to his vast collection, as the Chinese champions prepare to take on Al Ahli on Saturday in the first leg of the continental final.
The Brazilian, speaking on the eve of the encounter at the Rashid Stadium, is a highly decorated coach, having led his country to the 2002 Fifa World Cup. His achievements at club level are similarly impressive, including guiding Gremio and Palmeiras to the Copa Libertadores in 1995 and 1999, respectively.
Scolari has also enjoyed domestic success outside South America, helping Bunyodkor to the 2009 Uzbekistan championship. Last month, Guangzhou were crowned champions of China.
Understandably, the former Chelsea manager is keen to burnish his CV.
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“In my career I have been the world champion, the South American champion, and even a European champion. Now it would be a great honour for me to be Asian champion,” Scolari said. “I hope my players and my captain can deliver it.”
Predictably, Scolari remained coy when asked about the threat posed by Ahli, saying only that he was impressed by their performance in last month’s semi-final against Al Hilal.
The UAE club have never before advanced this far in the competition — this is their first experience of the knockout stages — whereas Guangzhou were champions two years ago, before Scolari’s reign began.
“We have a lot of very specific details for this match, but in front of the press maybe we have to keep it to ourselves,” he said. “I am very, very confident about my team and I’m sure they will give an awesome performance tomorrow.”
Zheng Zhi, the Guangzhou captain who lifted the Champions League trophy in 2013, added: “I think this will be very different to then, because this is a new team and a new challenge for us. We have a different strategy and a different team — I believe Ahli are very well organised and their players have made some very good performances. Tomorrow will be a very tough match, but we are very confident. We are ready.
“We do have a little bit of pressure, but we’re very, very confident to compete for this final.”
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