Dubai: Al Shabab coach Paulo Bonamigo may have won the GCC Champions League and Etisalat Cup double last year, but Al Ahli's Quique Sanchez Flores heads into tonight's match boasting experience of five finals in four years.
Having won the Taca Da Liga with Benfica in 2009, the Uefa Cup amid Super Cup titles, while losing the Copa Del Rey all in 2010 with Atletico Madrid, Flores' track record is more than a little imposing.
For an Al Ahli side that have failed to pick up silverware in three years (last being Pro League and Super Cup in 2009), despite the investment in Fabio Cannavaro, Flores is widely tipped to end the club's woes.
Flores, who has yet to sign a contract renewal and is tipped to leave, said: "For me this final is important for my work in the UAE. I came here to make something different.
"This is a new year and a new club and now I have the chance for another final. In the last four years I've had five finals and that experience is very important.
"All were played in a different context in different competitions. It's most important now that I finish this season in the best way possible which is to win the cup for Al Ahli. The players have worked very hard over the last seven months and they want to win, which is very important.
"We have two ways to approach this match. We put a team on the pitch only thinking of the opponent or we think about our tools and choose them based on what kind of players we have and what we can do to win the most important game of the season."
Al Ahli captain Grafite said: "This game is very important because if you win this trophy you have the chance to start the next season on a high."
