Omar Abdulrahman, Ahmed and Salem sit out Al Ain training ahead of Asian Champions League final

Zlatko Dalic allowed the trio an extra day's rest to rest after they played the entire 90 minutes of Tuesday’s 2018 World Cup qualifier win Iraq in Abu Dhabi. John McAuley reports from Jeonju, South Korea, ahead of the first leg against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Omar Abdulrahman, right, sat out training with the rest of the Al Ain players. Courtesy Al Ain FC

JEONJU // Omar Abdulrahman and fellow UAE internationals Ismail Ahmed and Mohanad Salem sat out Al Ain training on Thursday as the club gears up for their most important match in more than a decade.

Currently in Jeonju, South Korea, Al Ain face Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the first leg of the Asian Champions League final on Saturday – the first time the Garden City side have contested the continental showpiece since 2005.

Al Ain are the only UAE club to have won the trophy, when they defeated Thailand’s BEC Tero Sasana in 2003, and know a positive result in the opening leg this weekend is essential before they host Jeonbuk at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on November 26.

Manager Zlatko Dalic allowed Abdulrahman, Ahmed and Salem to rest as the majority of the squad trained in nearby Gunsan City. The trio played the entire 90 minutes of Tuesday's 2018 World Cup qualifier against Iraq in Abu Dhabi, which the UAE won 2-0, then joined up with their club colleagues immediately after the encounter to fly to South Korea.

See also:

• Report: Ahmed Khalil and Ismail Matar score in win over Iraq

• Omar Abdulrahman: There is no 'I' in team

• Asian Player of the Year: Omar Abdulrahman makes shortlist

Abdulrahman had been nursing a minor back injury, sustained during last week’s warm-up friendly against Bahrain, but Al Ain are confident the Asian Player of the Year nominee will show no signs of that issue come Saturday.

Speaking after training, board member Mohammed Obaid Hammad said: “It is natural that Omar, Ismail and Mohanad were given a rest after all the great effort they put in with the national team. They are scheduled to train tomorrow evening at Jeonju World Cup Stadium.”

Al Ain have been bolstered by the return of Amer Abdulrahman, with the midfielder recovering from the slight injury that forced him to withdraw from the UAE squad earlier this month. He trained with his teammates on Thursday.

Should Al Ain hold any hope of lifting the Champions League for a second time, they will need to thwart a dangerous Jeonbuk side boasting the tournament’s second top scorer this year in Leonardo.

However, the Brazilian winger, who has eight goals thus far, is aware of the threat posed by his opponents, as Jeonbuk look to extend their unbeaten home record in the Champions League to an impressive 12 matches.

“We know Al Ain are a big team, a very good one, and they have had the quality to overcome obstacles to reach the Asian Champions League final, just like us,” Leonardo told the Asian Football Confederation’s official website. “We will prepare well for them and prepare to perform well over both legs of the final.

“I watched some of their semi-final matches against El Jaish and it’s clear they are a team of high quality. All the teams that reached the latter stages of the Champions League are good teams.

“It feels great to be in the final. Thanks to God for everything, it has been a really long year, but we are all very happy to be here. We have to prepare and focus well if we want to see this through and become champions.”

FIXTURES:

Saturday, first leg

• Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors v Al Ain, 2pm (UAE)

November 26, second leg

• Al Ain v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, 6.25pm

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