Al Ain's Emirati coach confirms the team's readiness to face Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia in the AFC Elite Champions League

Serbian Vladimir Ivic, the Emirati coach of Al Ain, confirmed that his team enters the confrontation with Al-Nassr Saudi Arabia with the ambition of victory at the beginning of its journey in the AFC Champions League for the Elite, stressing that all members of the team are fully prepared with the exception of Ratnik, whose absence from Tuesday’s match was confirmed.

Ivic described leading Al Ain at the beginning of his continental career as an experience that he is proud of, explaining that appearing in the Asian Championship represents a new and exciting challenge for him, at a time when the team’s players have great experience in such confrontations, given the club’s usual continental presence and its success in winning the title in 2024 for the second time in its history.

The Serbian coach stressed that Al Ain's mentality is based on searching for victory in every match, which is the idea that he has worked to establish among the players since he took over the leadership of the team, stressing that the group knows its capabilities well and is aware of the level it can reach, which gives it the confidence to enter strongly in various competitions.

Regarding the match against Al-Nasr, Ivic confirmed that the Asian test is different from the matches that his team has played locally since the beginning of the season, especially since Al-Ain will be facing a strong competitor that has a large group of distinguished players.

He added that the team has played five matches so far in the league, and the season is still in its infancy, explaining that there is satisfaction with the results achieved so far, with continued work to raise the level of performance and reach better levels during the next stage.

Ivic stressed his great respect for Al-Nasr and its potential, stressing at the same time his confidence in the ability of Al-Ain players to perform at the required level and come out with a winning result.

The Al Ain coach pointed out that what the players provide during training gives him great confidence before the confrontation, in light of the effort and levels they show daily, explaining that the technical staff continues to work to push all players to give their utmost on the field.

Regarding the situation of injuries and absences, Ivic confirmed that Ratnik will not be available against Al-Nasr, while the rest of the players enjoy high readiness, provided that the final position of one or two players will be determined after reviewing the last medical report before the match.

For his part, Khaled Issa, Al Ain's goalkeeper, described the match against Al-Nasr as one of the strong matches that usually receives great public attendance and interest, pointing out that the match brings together the league champions in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates last season, and that his team's goal is clear and is to achieve victory.

Issa stressed that Al Ain players are fully aware of the responsibilities required of them in the match, stressing the importance of the role that the fans can play, especially since the team is engaged in the confrontation on its home field and among its supporters.

The Al Ain goalkeeper expressed his confidence that the match would turn out well, expecting an enthusiastic crowd attendance commensurate with the importance of the tournament and its status with the club and its fans, and hoping that the players would succeed in providing what would make the team’s supporters leave the stadium more optimistic about what awaits Al Ain in its continental journey.

Issa asked the fans of his team not to stop supporting them throughout the minutes of the match, and to maintain positive encouragement no matter how the result changes or the events of the match develop, stressing that this point represents his basic demand from the stands.

He explained that matches of this size cannot be judged from a single moment, as the match lasts 90 minutes, and during which circumstances can change more than once, whether Al Ain score early or their goal is delayed until the last minutes, or even if Al Nassr succeeds in scoring.

Issa recalled the many experiences that Al Ain went through in previous matches that witnessed various transformations and events, stressing that such confrontations require patience, persistence, and not being affected by what happens during them.

The Al Ain goalkeeper concluded his speech by emphasizing that his message to the fans and players is to be patient and maintain a positive spirit, whether in encouragement or motivation on the field, expressing his confidence that Al Ain is capable of going far in the tournament, and that his ambition does not stop at simply winning against Al Nasr.