Expressed his Deep Pleasure with the Fans’ Support.. Leko: Satisfied with the Boss Stars Performance and Caio’s Injury is of Little Concern
“So happy by the massive support of the loyal Ainawi fans and their presence tonight behind the squad in their first match of the new season against Shaba Al Ahli Dubai,” Ivan Leko stated in the post-match press conference dedicated for the round 1 confrontation of the Arabian Gulf League held at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
He emphasized that the Ainawi fans were brilliant and the so positive during the whole minutes of the match. “They received the team elegantly and perfectly. I have to hail the initiative launched by the Club’s management and the strategic partners.”
On the clash match against a strong opponent, he said: “It was an exciting match, and it was between two big teams. It was clear that both teams strived hard to win the match and have a strong starting point with the kick-off of the new season to realize their aspirations to compete for wining all titles.”
He also expressed his satisfaction with his squad’s performance despite conceding the draw goal in the dying minutes of the match.
He stressed: “Players must exert more efforts and enjoy high levels of concentration as of the kick-off whistle until the last second of the match. They should take advantage of any chance they have to hit the opponent’s net.”
Responding to a question on the critical issues in the backline of the team, he said: “We have to take a breath and relax after such a tough match before analyzing the players’ performance and take corrective measures accordingly. However, we have to bear in mind that mistakes are part of the football game, and we have to learn from our mistakes after each match.”
He underscored that he along with his coaching team and players would work hard to reach the highest levels of concentration and avoid potential mistakes. “At any rate, everybody is held accountable for committing mistakes in the pitch as football is a collective game.”
On reasons behind not including Caio Canedo name in the starting lineup, he said: “Caio felt minor pain in his back muscle, and we decided not to take the risk of including his name in this match until he is fully fit. Indeed, Caio is an important player and he could easily make the difference in the match, but his substitute, Jamal Marouf, did well and he was one of the stars of the match.”
