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Al Wahda v Al Wasl Pre-Match Press Conferences

Al Wahda coach Branko Ivankovic claims there is no excuse for his side not to take all three points from their rescheduled Etisalat Pro League Round 14 fixture against Al Wasl at the Al Nahyan Stadium on Friday. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Croatian said: “We are not thinking about anything besides our next match. We will have to put in a positive performance in order to get the result we want; all my players want to win.” Ivankovic also confirmed some encouraging selection news for his side: “Ismaeil Matar is back from suspension to spearhead our attack, which is a big boost for the team overall.” Speaking about the opposition Al Wahda will face, Ivankovic stated that Al Wasl is a great club with an illustrious history, and interim coach Eid Baroot has restored confidence in the struggling side, with their 3-2 victory away at Al Jazira being the biggest testament to the effect he has had thus far.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Al Wasl coach Eid Baroot observed that his team has reached a stage of maturity under his stewardship and he has full confidence in all players at the club as they head into another very important match, claiming that they are on the up following recent positive results. Looking towards the match at Al Wahda, Baroot said: “We watched their last two games against Al Jazira and Dibba Al Fujairah, and despite having absences from the squad they still have a very strong team. I’ve made it clear to my players that they have plenty of players who are capable of making the difference in the match.” Baroot’s own side will have an absence to deal with as Mohammed Jamal serves a one-match suspension for collecting three yellow cards, but the Emirati coach has full confidence in his alternative options. Al Wasl will benefit from the return of captain Waheed Ismail to the fold, bringing added strength to their back line. Baroot also hinted at the possibility of introducing some new young players to the side, but stated that a balance of youth and experience is key: “I will steadily start handing opportunities to some of the young players, but we need the right mix of experienced players on the pitch too,” he said.