Dalich: We are not candidates for the championship title
Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic of the UAE national team stated that his squad’s focus is on securing qualification for the semifinals of Gulf Cup 27, emphasizing the need to move past their convincing victory over Yemen and
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic of the UAE national team stated that his squad’s focus is on securing qualification for the semifinals of Gulf Cup 27, emphasizing the need to move past their convincing victory over Yemen and concentrate on today’s match against Bahrain. Speaking at the pre-match 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 the win. The Bahraini national team has great experience and a top coach.” He added, “Every match is important. If we win, we will qualify and achieve our first objective. Bahrain played well in their previous match, and we also know that we put in a good performance in our opening game, but we need to deliver more.”
Dalic stressed the importance of turning the page after the win against Yemen, saying, “We must forget the Yemen match and focus on the encounter with Bahrain, making the most of all opportunities and ensuring our defense is our strength.” He continued, “After our match against Yemen and scoring four goals, everyone is talking about us, but we must focus on the next game and take it step by step. I hope we can replicate what we showed against Yemen and secure qualification.”
The Croatian manager rejected suggestions that the UAE team is a favorite for the title, clarifying, “We are not favorites for the tournament. I want to reach our first objective of qualifying for the semifinals, and I do not want to place additional pressure on the players.” He added, “The fans expect the best, but I cannot put pressure on our players. I do not want to send a negative message or claim that we are the best. As I said, we are not favorites, and there are strong teams in the tournament, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia.”
Dalic also recalled his memories with Al Hilal during his previous stint in Saudi Arabia, saying, “I have beautiful memories here in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal, and I hope to achieve something with the UAE national team as I did with Al Hilal.”
