Abu Dhabi: The President’s Cup Final was the last match for Al Ahli’s Lebanese defender Mohammad Yousuf, whose contract has finished, and also for Ricardo Quaresma, the Portuguese midfielder, who joined the team during the winter transfer window.
Al Ahli has signed Portuguese midfielder Hugo Viana from Sporting Braga, who played for Newcastle in England, Valencia and Osasuna in Spain. He has played 29 times for Portugal and scored one goal.
The 30-year-old player attended the final on Tuesday at Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium and watched as his new team won the trophy.
Quaresma has in the past struggled to settle at clubs away from his home country — where he was a success with both Sporting Lisbon and Porto — but Al Ahli CEO Ahmad Khalifa Hamad said on signing him that the club were not concerned about his temperament and were lucky to have him.
“That was not a consideration. A player who has played for Barcelona, Chelsea, Milan — I think if he has played in the three biggest leagues in the world, it would be difficult for him to join those teams [if that was a problem]. That’s enough for us — and he’s one of the main players in the national team of Portugal.
“He must be the biggest-name signing in this window and maybe the whole year. I don’t know what will happen until December, but I think for 2013 he can be top of the names that join the league.
