Abu Dhabi: Last year's Fifa Club World Cup final at the Zayed Sports City stadium went down in history as FC Barcelona defeated Argentina's Estudiantes to win a record sixth title for the year.
And today, in yet another Fifa Club World Cup final, history is in the making as TP Mazembe Englebert's hunting expedition on their Desert Safari has the fancied FC Internazionale Milano as the target.
Ten days ago, the Congolese club who won the African Club championship for the second successive year, started their campaign with two losses to show. Now, after scalping Mexican club Pachuca in the quarterfinal and then creating history by being the first ever club to beat a Brazilian side in this "championship of champions", Mazembe also became the first ever African club to reach the Club World Cup final.
Backed by their 50-member "Cent per Cent" band and hundreds of supporters, "The Crows" received a further boost with two more aircraft being chartered to fly in fans from Congo, which incidentally also created history when becoming the first ever black African country to qualify for the World Cup in 1974.
Today's final will be between an Inter Milan team full of class and experience and on the ascendancy after a poor run of form while the Mazembe side, comprising players hailing from just one continent, emboldened by their growing confidence and team spirit.
With goalkeeper Julio Cesar, defenders Javier Zanetti, Lucio, Maicon (most likely to play today), Cordoba and Chivu, midfielders Stankovic, Thiago Motta, Pandev and Cambiasso and strikers Milito and Samuel Etoo to select his playing XI from, Inter coach Rafael Benitez has a truly world-class pack at his disposal.
In stark contrast Senegalese coach Lamine N'Diaye has apart from Zambian duo Stoppila Sunzu and Given Singuluma and Cameroonian Amia Ekanga, a squad full of Congolese players including goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba, who has earned his own set of fans with his unique goal celebrations.
However, whether Kidiaba gets to perform his "bum-bouncing" dance depends on the discipline of Mazembe in baulking the incisive Inter attacks and counter-attacking with their own frontline where Dioko Kaluyituka, Mbenza Bedi. Mulota Kabanga and Singuluma have shown their hunger for goals.
Stoppila returns to boost the midfield after his one-match suspension for Mazembe but it certainly will be an uphill task against the Inter attack.
Having broken into the traditional bastion of a European-South American club final, Mazembe will be fully aware of the 90 minutes that separate them from a dream triumph. But it will be Inter Milan who will be starting with the edge to win a fourth successive Club World Cup for European Clubs and the second by an Italian since AC Milan though there isn't much Italian in their squad!
