On Tuesday, Al Ain captain Omar Abdulrahman guided his side through to the Asian Champions League final with a 5-3 aggregate victory against Qatar’s El Jaish. He spoke to the club’s official website afterwards.
Captain’s call
Abdulrahman impacted heavily the semi-final, scoring twice and creating two of Al Ain’s five goals across the two legs. Again wearing the captain’s armband at Doha’s Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium on Tuesday, his influence was obvious from before kick-off. Abdulrahman led the team huddle, visibly encouraging his colleagues as manager Zlatko Dalic and his backroom staff looked on.
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Rallying cry
“I asked them to give effort and fight from beginning to the end,” Abdulrahman said. “Because everyone in the UAE was waiting on us to deliver good news and so we had to press El Jaish and take the initiative, which we managed to achieve. As I’ve said before, Al Ain are at heart one team and they deserve this title because they always accept responsibility and defend the jersey powerfully.”
Actions speak loudest
“The team do not need to make promises because the goal has become more clear and that is to lift the trophy,” Abdulrahman said. “All the players are well aware we are one step away from being champions and will therefore work even harder to be ready both physically and technically to help the team achieve its ambitions. We hope the fans continue to support the team like they have because it increases the players determination to reach our desired goal.”
Team success the priority
“It is true that every player wishes to win the title of best player in Asia, but my focus is always on helping Al Ain win titles and championships,” Abdulrahman said. “The most important thing for me as a player is to defend the badge of this great club. Winning the Asian player of the year award is a goal — if I win it is thanks to all the players at Al Ain and with the national team for helping me to always shine.”
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