LONDON: If any Al-Hilal fan is seeking inspiration ahead of this weekend’s AFC Champions League final second leg against Urawa Reds, they need look no further than club legend Sami Al-Jaber.
The Riyadh giants head to Saitama in Japan this Saturday locked at 1-1 and as underdogs, without a continental title since 2000. But speaking to Arab News, Al-Jaber, part of the winning team 17 years ago, said Al-Hilal always have it in them to produce in big games describing them as “more than just a football club.”
Al-Jaber spent almost his entire professional career playing for the Riyadh giants, wearing the famous blue shirt almost 450 times over a decorated 20-year career.
“It’s like home, they call me the son of the club,” the 44-year-old told Arab News.
“I spent 20 years at the club, this is a great club. I was with so many presidents during the years, so many people who worked at the club. Al-Hilal is not just a football club, Al-Hilal is a legacy, it’s a very big legacy in Saudi Arabia and the region.
“(It’s) just like my family, just like home and my family. It’s a club that has a legacy and it’s more than just a football club. You can see the history, and in Asia I would say it’s No.1.
“All the presidents, all the workers, all the players — the secret is they are like a family, they act always like a family.
“They care about each other, they do so many charity things that no one knows about, they take care of everything. All the people that are working there, they love the club.
“I can’t say any more than the club is more than a football club, it’s a community.”
And, according to Al-Jaber, it is the loyal fans of the club that are its biggest asset.
“I would say if someone is born, the first thing that will come out of his mouth is Al-Hilal — it’s not mother or father,” Al-Jaber joked.
“The fans are the big secret (to the success) of Al-Hilal. They love the club and they travel everywhere that the club is going, they follow the club. This is one of the biggest secrets.”
Al-Jaber was a key man of the famous Al-Hilal side that last tasted continental success in 2000. On that occasion they defeated Japanese side Jubilo Iwata 3-2 in extra-time after a dramatic late comeback, with Brazilian Sergio Ricardo scoring an 89th minute equalizer to send the match to extra time, and followed it up with a golden goal in the 102nd minute to seal his hat-trick and the title for the Saudi Arabian club.
“This is one of the best matches in the history,” Al-Jaber said. “The match was very close to a European style, at the time they compared it to one of the games from (Europe).
“The whole King Fahd Stadium was shaking with 75,000 people.”
According to Al-Jaber, the win over the Japanese side had a greater meaning than just being crowned continental champions.
“We proved to people that Saudi football was going in the right direction,” he said. “If you remember Japan in 1992 won their first Asian Cup against Saudi Arabia. After that we also played the 2000 Asian Cup (final) again, and we lost 1-0 as well.
“This was the competition (at the time), we were the best two teams at the time and Japan tried to prove that they are coming and that they will be big in Asia.”
Amazingly, despite that Asian Club Championship success being 17 years ago, one player remains from the side — the legendary Mohammad Al-Shalhoub.
“What a great player, what a great player,” Al-Jaber said of the 36-year-old.
“He’s No.1 at Al-Hilal in history. This guy is very disciplined, very polite but he is a fantastic player. When you talk about the history of Al-Hilal you have to mention Mohammad Al-Shalhoub.
“He is one of the reasons I am saying Al-Hilal deserves to win the Asian Champions League. This guy played against Jubilo (Iwata) when he was 17-18-years-old and now after 17 years he will be there as a captain of Al-Hilal.
“To end his career with a competition like this, for Al-Hilal fans and us who played with this guy, it will be the best end for this legend.”
On Saturday’s crunch clash against Urawa Reds, Al-Jaber is confident his former side can claim the crown they so desperately want, even after last weekend’s frustrating 1-1 draw and loss of star attacker Carlos Eduardo to a season-ending knee injury.
“It doesn’t matter the score, if the score is 1-0 it’s more than enough,” he said.
Saudi legend Al-Jaber wants Al-Hilal to lift the Champions League for club stalwart
Saudi legend Al-Jaber wants Al-Hilal to lift the Champions League for club stalwart
Barcelona blitz Athletic Bilbao 5-0 to book place in Super Cup final
- Catalans turn uncertainty into complete control with breathtaking 16-minute spell that saw them race into a four-goal lead before the interval
- Raphinha struck again early in the second half, once more exploiting space down the flanks to extend the lead to 5-0
JEDDAH: It did not look like the easiest opening 20 minutes for Barcelona in Jeddah during their encounter with Athletic Bilbao. Yet in a breathtaking 16-minute spell, the Catalans turned uncertainty into complete control, racing into a four-goal lead before the interval.
More than 50,000 fans packed the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah to witness the spectacle, although the likes of Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal were rested, allowing opportunities for youngsters like Roony Bardghji and Fermin Lopez.
Lopez would emerge as one of the standout performers of the night. While his threat inside the box was evident, it was his creativity that truly shone in front of the Jeddawi crowd.
Barcelona broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute. A sweeping move from side to side ended with Raphinha finding Bardghji on the right, whose cutback was met by Lopez before being laid off for Ferran Torres to finish calmly for 1-0.
Just eight minutes later, an exquisite backheel from Pedri released Raphinha down the left flank once again, with his low cross this time finding Lopez to double Barcelona’s advantage.
Lopez contributed to his third goal of the night minutes later, this time slipping Bardghji down the right. The Kuwaiti-born winger skipped past Adama Boiro before striking at goal, with Unai Simon mishandling the ball as it trickled over the line.
The Blaugrana showed no signs of slowing down. Raphina finally got on the scoresheet in emphatic fashion with a belter into the top corner in the 38th minute.
To the surprise of many, neither side made any changes at the break. That decision quickly proved costly for Bilbao, as Raphinha struck again early in the second half, once more exploiting space down the flanks to extend the lead to 5-0.
With the contest beyond reach, Athletic head coach Ernesto Valverde rang the changes, making five substitutions to give minutes to his squad.
Barcelona, meanwhile, eased off to conserve energy ahead of Sunday’s final. To the delight of the crowd, both Rashford and Yamal were introduced, with Yamal receiving a warm standing ovation upon his entrance in the 72nd minute.
The emphatic victory marks Barcelona’s second consecutive five-goal display in the Spanish Super Cup, following last year’s 5-2 triumph over Real Madrid in the final.
The second semi-final takes place on Thursday, as Real Madrid face Atlético Madrid, with the winner set to meet Barcelona in Sunday’s final.
