DUBAI // Hugo Viana, the Al Ahli midfielder, has heralded the club's collective spirit as they attempt to win an unprecedented domestic treble.
The Dubai side clinched the Arabian Gulf League (AGL) title last week and have an opportunity to add to the season’s trophy haul on Saturday, when they meet Al Jazira in the Arabian Gulf League Cup final.
Ahli then compete against Al Ain for the President’s Cup in May, meaning they could conclude the campaign with all three national prizes. No UAE club has achieved the feat, and only five have won a double.
Ahli’s fight on four fronts – they can still reach the last 16 of the Asian Champions League – has been particularly impressive, given their off-pitch troubles this term.
Cosmin Olaroiu, the Ahli coach, in December was suspended from the touchline for six months and is involved in an ongoing legal battle with Al Ain, his former employer.
Although Ahli were crowned AGL champions with three matches to spare, their wait for a first league title since 2009 was prolonged after they were docked three points by the Football Association, in January.
Ahli had fielded an ineligible player in a 13th-round victory against Al Dhafra.
However, rather than be discouraged by the setbacks, Olaroiu's side instead have used them as motivation and were rewarded for their patience on April 10. A 2-1 win at home over Al Wasl was enough to capture a sixth UAE championship.
“We have stayed together all the time,” Viana said. “We had many problems during the season. They took three points off us, suspended our coach for six months, tried to do everything, but we took those things and became very strong.
“We are a family. We feel like brothers and take that onto the pitch. We go to war every time like a family.”
Viana, 31, has provided a wise head among Ahli's emergent team. Signed last summer from Sporting Braga, the Portuguese playmaker took time to settle and describes his first three months in the Emirates as "very difficult".
Now, he is a key figure in Ahli’s bid for success. As a deep-lying midfielder, much of the side’s play goes through him, although he is reluctant to take credit for what has been, in his words, very much a collaborative effort.
“I’m very happy with the performance of the team and, of course, I’m involved in that,” he said. “But the most important is not one player or the other, it’s the team.
“Everyone here respects each other. We try to play always together, try to learn from each other and, if I have to do something for them, I will do it. And if they have to do something for me, they will also.”
With testing assignments still to come, Viana called for his teammates to retain their focus until the season’s end. He did, though, confirm his delight in helping Ahli seize the title.
“It’s special, for all the people involved here,” Viana said. “We worked very hard for this, told everyone in the beginning that the league is our target, so we are very happy.
“But we have one hard month in front of us now, although this has given us more confidence.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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