Croatian coach Zlatko Dalić, manager of the UAE national team, described the final against Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup "Khaleeji 27" as the easiest match.
The two teams will meet in the final on Tuesday evening at King Abdullah Sports City (Al-Jawhara Stadium) in Jeddah.
Zlatko said in remarks reported by the Saudi sports newspaper Ar-Riyadiyah: "Tuesday's match will be the easiest game because it is a final. I hope the players enjoy the match, as well as the fans in the stadium and those watching on television."
He added, "We have spent the last 24 hours preparing ourselves. We thank our fans for their support. I have great confidence in the players and their ability to win the title."
The Croatian continued, "We will try to exploit all opportunities that come our way. We realize that our opponent is strong and difficult, but we must maintain the highest levels of concentration and presence in defense."
He completed, "We did not have enough time to give everything we have, but we will do our utmost in the final. I have sufficient experience to give my best for the UAE; my experience spans more than nine years, and we are all striving to achieve positive results."
The Croatian coach concluded his remarks by saying, "I specifically look forward to achieving success with the UAE, which represents a major challenge for me. I want to start my journey after taking over the role by winning the tournament."
On the other side, Khalid Eisa, captain of the UAE national team, predicted a strong final and a competitive match between the two teams.
He said, "I thank the Emirati fans for their stance and support. We faced several challenges during the past period, and sometimes bad luck prevented us from achieving the results we aspire to. I hope Tuesday's match marks the beginning of the harvest and the start of a new phase of winning titles."
Eisa concluded by saying, "Zlatko knows what a player needs to be ready to perform at their best. I still remember what happened in the 2016 season with Al Ain FC; our results were poor under the previous coach, but we managed to turn things around."
