Dubai: Al Ain must learn from their 2014 Asian Champions League semi-final defeat to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal if they are to pass Qatar’s El Jaish at the same hurdle on Tuesday, according to Boss defender Mohannad Salem.
“It was not easy to reach the semi-final and not go to the final two years ago,” said Salem. “That was a very bad memory, we don’t want to remember it now. We just want to learn from that lesson.”
Al Ain lost 3-0 to Al Hilal away in the first leg before a 2-1 win at home in the second leg saw them crash out 4-2 on aggregate in 2014. Al Hilal went on to lose the final 1-0 to Australia’s Western Sydney Wanderers.
“This time is a good opportunity to reach the final and win the championship,” he added of their current campaign. “Now we are very ready, the spirit is high and the physical level is excellent. We won’t be satisfied by just reaching the final, we want to win the championship.”
Al Ain have twice reached the final, beating Thailand’s Tero Sasana in 2003 and losing to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ittihad in 2005.
