Diaz warns Al Hilal against complacency
Muscat: Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal may have put one foot in the 2017 AFC Champions League final with their 4-0 victory over Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis in the first leg of the semi-final, but head coach Ramon Diaz is remaining grounded.
Al Hilal have conceded just two goals in their five knock-out games so far, and Persepolis will need to score double that tally in 90 minutes if they are to stand a chance of making it to the final.
“In football, everything is possible. Persepolis will be motivated to turn the score around, but we are determined to progress to the final,” said Diaz.
The Argentine is adamant that despite the big advantage from the first leg, his side cannot afford to be complacent.
“The players are experienced and they are fully aware that it is not over. This is an important game as nothing has been decided yet, so we have to take it seriously
“Our number one objective is to progress to the final, so there can be no room for complacency”.
The 58-year-old finds himself without the services of midfield duo Nawaf Al Abid and Abdulla Otayf, but he has no qualms over the depth of his squad.
“We have 12 experienced international players who have qualified for the World Cup with the Saudi national team, we rely on our strength as a unit, not on an individual or two,” said Diaz.
Abdullah Otayf is suspended for Tuesday’s clash.
Defender Abdullah Al Hafith finds motivation in maintaining Al Hilal’s unbeaten run in the competition so far.
“Both teams are here at the semi-final because they are good teams. We are ready to play with the same intensity as we did in the first leg,” said the Saudi international.
“We are unbeaten in the AFC Champions League this season and that serves as an added motivation for us. We do not just want to reach the final, we want to remain unbeaten.”
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com
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