Al Ain and UAE star Omar Abdulrahman will on Tuesday take the unusual step of playing for another Gulf club, in a special friendly against Spanish giants Barcelona in Doha. Here are the details.
One-off match
Barcelona, five-time European champions, face Saudi side Al Ahli in the inaugural Match of Champions, which takes place at Al Gharafa Stadium at 8pm UAE time. The teams are contesting the Qatar Airways Cup since they are both sponsored by the country’s national carrier. The fixture is a sell-out, with 18,000 supporters expected.
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Amoory for Ahli
Recently anointed Asian player of the year, Abdulrahman has been given special dispensation by Al Ain to feature in the match. The playmaker, who supports Barcelona and cites Andres Iniesta as his current favourite player, used the trip to conduct his annual medical check-up at the Aspire Academy. 'Amoory' will represent Ahli, the reigning Saudi champions who are based in Jeddah.
Al Ain’s take
Manager Zlatko Dalic said: “Personally, I’m extremely happy to see ‘Amoory’ play this historic friendly, which I believe will have a positive impact. There is much anticipation because of the participation of great European and international football stars such as Neymar and [Lionel] Messi. Omar also has fans in the country, on the continent and throughout the world.”
A quick stopover
Abdulrahman’s inclusion in the match has been the subject of much debate, especially since Al Ain are in the middle of a busy schedule. On Tuesday, the Asian Champions League runners-up take on Dibba in the Arabian Gulf Cup, although they cannot qualify for the semi-finals. Dalic is looking forward to having his captain back for Saturday’s Arabian Gulf League encounter, saying: “I hope Omar returns in total readiness for the team’s important match against Sharjah.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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