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Confident Al Ain unfazed by quality of opponents at Club World Cup: Rahimi
Gulf Today
|June 13, 2025
Al Ain will head into their Group G challenge on the back of a difficult season, having suffered early elimination in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 and finishing fifth in the UAE Pro League.
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It was a hard landing for Al Ain after a 2023/24 season, which saw them emerging continental champions for a second time, having won the inaugural title in 2003.
On paper, they face an extremely tough FIFA Club World Cup challenge with Manchester City of England, Italy's Juventus and Morocco's Wydad AC their opponents.
Al Ain, however, closed their season strongly as Serbian coach Vladimir Ivic — who took charge in February — steadied the ship and the two-time Asian champions went undefeated in their last seven league games.
Central to their hopes will be prolific striker Soufi-ane Rahimi, who flourished despite Al Ain's troubles.
He starred at Paris 2024, finishing as the top scorer in the Men's Olympic Football Tournament, remarkably scoring in all six of Morocco's fixtures as they took the bronze medal.
The Moroccan netted five goals on the continental stage despite Al Ain being eliminated at the League Stage.
Rahimi also had 15 goal involvements in 26 UAE Pro League outings and the MVP and Top Scorer of the AFC Champions League 2023/24 is relishing the chance of taking on Al Ain's Group G opponents.
This story is from the June 13, 2025 edition of Gulf Today.
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