Zlatko: We are not contenders for the title

UAE national team coach Croatian Zlatko Dalic confirmed that his team’s focus is on securing qualification for the semifinals of the Gulf Cup “Khaleeji 27,” stressing the need to move beyond their big win over Yemen and concentrate on the upcoming match against Bahrain.

Speaking at yesterday’s press conference, Dalic said, “We will face a strong opponent, and we know what we need to do. We will give our best to secure a win. The Bahraini national team has great experience and a top-class coach.” He added, “Every match is important. If we win today, we will qualify and achieve our first objective. Bahrain played a good match in their previous game, and we know we also delivered a strong first performance, but we need to do more.”

Dalic emphasized the importance of putting the victory over Yemen behind them, stating, “We must forget the Yemen match and focus on the Bahrain game, capitalize on all our chances, and ensure our defense remains a strength.” The Croatian coach rejected placing the UAE team among the title favorites, explaining, “We are not contenders for the trophy. There are strong teams in the tournament, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. I want to reach our first goal of advancing to the semifinals, and I do not want to place additional pressure on the players. We are taking it one step at a time.”

For his part, UAE national team player Nicolas Jimenez highlighted the difficulty of the upcoming match, pointing to the importance of the Gulf Cup for the players: “The match is tough, and participating in this tournament is significant. All the teams here are strong.”