Dubai: Algerian midfielder Lazhar Hadj Aissa, who once had trials with Real Madrid and who is nicknamed Baggio due to his likeness to the legendary former Italian footballer Roberto Baggio, has joined Sharjah on a one-year deal. He replaces Brazilian forward Eder ‘Edinho’ Luciano at the club.
Aissa, 28, joins from Kuwait’s Al Qadsia, following spells with Algerian clubs MSP Batna and ES Setif.
According to Sharjah Club’s website, Aissa joined on the recommendation of coach Faouzi Benzarti after a trial with the club while on tour in Tunisia, where he impressed in a series of friendly matches.
In 2006 Aissa was handed a trial with Spanish giants Real Madrid upon the recommendation of Zinedine Zidane. He also had unsuccessful try-outs with Portugal’s Benfica and England’s Portsmouth and saw two transfers to the Ukraine’s Metalist Kharkov and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq fall through in 2008 and 2009.
Last season at Al Qadsia, Aissa lifted the league and cup double to add to his eight titles won after seven years with Setif. The most prominent of these include two Arab Champions League titles, the North African Cup of Champions, Super Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup. Aissa was also voted player of the Arab Champions League in 2007 and the Algerian League’s best newcomer in 2006 and has represented Algeria on 25 occasions, scoring one goal.
Aissa joins retained Brazilian forward Marcelo Oliveira Silva ‘Marcelinho’ and newly signed Ghanaian midfielder Moussa Narry at the relegated club, ahead of play-offs to decide upon re-entry to the Pro League.
The four-way play-offs between relegated Emirates and Sharjah and Division Two third and fourth-placed teams Dhafra and Al Shaab will be held from September 4-14.
The two successful teams will then join the Pro League along with already promoted Ittihad Kalba and Dibba Fujairah.
Al Shaab play Emirates on September 4 at Al Nasr’s Maktoum Stadium while Sharjah face Dhafra at Al Ain’s Tahnoon Bin Mohammad Stadium.
On September 9, Al Shaab will play Sharjah at Al Ahli’s Rashid Stadium, and Dhafrah will meet Emirates at Al Wasl’s Zabeel Stadium.
The last encounters take place on September 14 between Sharjah and Emirates at Al Shabab’s Maktoum Bin Rashid Stadium, while Al Shaab and Dhafra will battle it out at Al Ain’s Khalifa International Stadium.
Al Shaab have registered Brazilian striker Rodrigo Vergilio ‘Careca’, French striker Michael Laurent N’dri and Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Souza Silva as their foreign players under coach Sergio Alexandre.
Dhafra have Ivorian striker Amara Diane, Brazilian midfielder Andre Luciano Da Silva ‘Pinga’ and Senegalese striker Makhete Diop under Bosnian coach Jamal Haji.
Emirates, coached by Tunisia’s Lotfi Benzarti, have signed Paraguayan midfielder Nestor Ortigoza, Argentinian striker German Herrara, Senegalese midfielder Modibo Diarra and Lebanese striker Hassan Matouk. Given that they are allowed to play with only three foreigners in the play-offs, most teams, with the exception of Emirates, have held off registering their fourth and Asian player until promotion is secured.
