Asia has to be the next, Al Ain chairman says
Al Hajeri chasing elusive second AFC Champions League crown
The chairman of the Board of Directors of Al Ain Club wants to use their recordextending 13th league crown to overcome their heartbreak of being denied a certain second Asian Champions League title two years back.
Ghanem Al Hajeri, who took over as chairman of the board in 2013, was present when Al Ain lost to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the 2016 final of the AFC Champions League held at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium at the end of November 2016. A win would have sealed a second title for Al Ain, who had picked up their first crown way back in 2003.
However, the team from the Garden City has fallen short at the very last step on a couple of occasions — first in 2005 and most recently in 2016.
“I was there that night [2016] and I saw the sense of loss in the eyes of the players, most of whom are still part of this team today. I cannot forget that loss. It hurt too much. I believe that in the past two seasons, we have grown as a team and as one family. And today, we are stronger, both mentally and as a team than what we were two years back. So the AFC Champions League crown is very much on our priority list this season,” Al Hajeri told media after Al Ain had sealed their 13th title with a 4-0 drubbing of Al Nasr, late on Saturday.
“Our ambitions are high and nothing has changed for us. We have been in touch with the team management and want them to stick to the plan. We are an international team and we want to leave our stamp as the best club in the UAE, if not the region,” he insisted.
Later in the week, Al Ain are scheduled to face Shabab Al Ahli Dubai in the semi-finals of the President’s Cup. A win next Wednesday would put The Boss on track for a seventh crown in the competition. “Of course, the President’s Cup is very much one of the top priorities as well. This is a Cup that bears the name of our leader, and winning it would give us great joy. But our goals go beyond the UAE and the region. We want to be recognised internationally.”