Abu Dhabi, UAE – Al Jazira coach Marino Pusic confirmed his team’s readiness for the President’s Cup final against Al Ain. He stressed that both teams have an equal chance of winning the title.
Al Jazira will face Al Ain tomorrow evening, Friday, at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The match will be the final, concluding the 2025-2026 football season.
“Playing in the final is great, but the most important thing is always winning the cup, because when you reach this stage you only think about winning the title,” said Pusic during the press conference for the match.
The Al Jazira coach explained that his team’s preparations had proceeded smoothly and calmly. He emphasized that final matches are always different and unpredictable, both tactically and in terms of individual details on the field.
He added: “There are many factors that can decide such matches, so we have to be fully focused throughout the ninety minutes, and deal with every moment in the match in the right way”.
Pusic emphasized the importance of the mental aspect in finals. He stressed that remaining calm gives players a significant advantage. He also explained that he approaches the final in the same way he approaches any other match during the season.
The Dutch coach stressed the strength of Al Ain, saying: “We will face a great team with a rich history of championships. They also enter the match after winning the Professional League title, but final matches are different and do not recognize past results”.
Regarding how to stop Al Ain’s attacking power, Bosic spoke sarcastically, saying: “Any machine, over time, can experience some malfunctions, even complex machines”.
He also pointed out that playing the match at Al Jazira Stadium is a positive thing for the team, even though the fans will be split equally between the two clubs.
Regarding absences, Pusic stressed that he prefers to focus only on the players who are ready, saying: “I will not talk about the absentees, we have a group ready for the match, and this is not the first final I have played in, and in the end we will play 11 players against 11 players”.
The Al Jazira coach concluded his remarks by emphasizing his strong confidence in his players. He also noted the excellent atmosphere within the team, stating that the relationship between everyone is like that of a family, which gives the team extra motivation to win the title.
