Doha: UAE’s star player Omar Abdul Rahman will have plenty to offer when his ‘adopted’ side Al Ahli Saudi FC side takes on Spanish giants Barcelona in the ‘Match of Champions’ at the Gharafa Stadium on Tuesday, according to the club’s president Ahmad Al Marzouki. The action starts at 8pm UAE time.
Omar, popularly known as ‘Amoory’ and the talismanic playmaker of Al Ain, has been invited to add depth to Al Ahli as he has the skills to match the might of the Spanish powerhouse, felt Al Marzouki.
“Omar is the finest player in Asia and we are very happy to have him in our side. He can make difference and I would say we are lucky to have him here, in fact,” said Al Marzouki, who however ruled out that the star mid-fielder would get the entire 90 minutes to showcase his renowned talent.
“I don’t think Omar will get to play full match simply because we have so many players who will be eager to play. He will definitely be part of our scheme of things and it will also depend on how long the coach wants to make use of Omar’s presence,” added Al Marzouki.
However, Al Marzouki brushed aside that this offer for Amoory is a one-off invitation and they have no long term plans about him.
“Well, we are not going to talk about it here,” said Al Marzouki, who was confident that his side, current champions of the Saudi Professional League, will give stiff resistance and won’t go down without a fight.
“It is a friendly match and hopefully we can perform well against Barcelona. After seeing the 18 carat gold trophy, I’m sure the players will be inspired to do well. We have never played against Barcelona before and so it will be an experience for the team no matter who wins the contest,” felt Al Marzouki, whose team has been training at the capital for the past two days.
