Al Ain begins the harvest month to end a 4-year drought of local titles

The Al Ain team enters the month of May to harvest championships as it is the decisive stage in which it will reap the results of a full season of work and planning, as this month represents the peak of work and production, and the features of success are determined by the final meters race as the team competes for all local championships.

“Al-Zaeem” hopes to translate what he presented throughout the season into titles that end nearly four years of drought in local titles, avoiding the ghost of the 2015-2016 season, when he was close to achieving more than one title before eventually leaving empty-handed.

Al-Zaeem will open this stage by facing Al-Wahda, tomorrow, for the Professional League Cup title, before meeting Al-Sharjah, on May 6, in the 24th round of the Professional League, then facing Al-Dhafra on May 10, in the 25th round, while the date of his match against Dibba in the last round has not been set yet, and he will conclude his career by facing Al-Jazira on May 22 in the President’s Cup final.

The team presented outstanding levels during the current season, maintaining its technical stability from the beginning, and also broke a number of records, including the longest series without a loss, and is currently at the top of the league table without any defeat.

The team has no choice but to achieve the three titles to compensate its fans for the long absence from the local podiums, as the last local coronation dates back to May 26, 2022, when it won the Professional League title for the 2021-2022 season, and since then 3 years, 11 months and 5 days (1436 days) have passed.

For his part, football expert and lecturer at the International and Asian Federations, Abdullah Hassan, praised the technical and administrative stability within Al Ain Club, stressing that it was the key to the team’s success this season.

He told «Emirates Today»: “We congratulate the Al Ain Club management for developing a strategy with clear goals in the current season based on the data of previous seasons, as the technical staff was stable and the training thought was stable during the previous seasons, as the club did not deviate from the Eastern European coaches.”

He added: “In addition to that, there is consistency in the quality of players who have proven their competence, in addition to working to strengthen the team with players who make a difference, such as Al-Hussein Rahimi and Yahya Bin Khaleq.”

He continued: “The decision to keep Togolese striker Laba Kodjo, despite his injury, was correct, especially since the administration believed in his value, and there is the midfielder, Alejandro Kaku, who made the difference and is capable of leading the team in the most difficult times.”

He concluded: “In my opinion, all titles are closer to Al Ain than to Al Ain, through technical data and the strength of the reserve bench, as every player makes a difference.”

On the other hand, sports analyst, Khaled Al-Awadhi, confirmed that the technical stability and Al-Ain’s top spot in the league without losing makes it the closest to being crowned, stressing the importance of continuing to build.

He said: “The goal must be clear from now if Al Ain wants to compete on the continent, because the current star brigade can compete locally.”

He added: “Continuing technical stability, preserving some stars, and attracting (super) players are all factors that support the technical level of the Al Ain team to compete with the top Asian continent again next season.”

It is noteworthy that the last time Al Ain competed on all fronts was in the 2015-2016 season, when it left empty-handed, after losing the AFC Champions League final to Jeonbuk of South Korea, and the President’s Cup final to Al Jazira, while it finished the league as runner-up behind Shabab Al-Ahly.

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Al Ain matches in May

. League Cup final against Al-Wahda (May 1)

. Round 24 of the league against Sharjah (May 6)

. Round 25 of the league against Al Dhafra (May 10)

. The final round of the league against Dibba (May 16 or 17)

. President’s Cup final against Al Jazira (May 22)