Riyadh: Takuya Aoki insists that Urawa Red Diamonds must get a positive result in the first leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League Final, as the former winners prepare for their meeting with two-time Asian Club Championship winners Al Hilal on Saturday.
Urawa’s hosts are undefeated in this year’s continental competition though, and a visit to a King Fahd International Stadium that is expected to be filled to its 67,000 capacity with a passionate and partisan crowd is a daunting prospect for any team.
Midfielder Aoki, however, cites an equally tough task in the semi-finals against Shanghai SIPG which the J.League club were able to safely negotiate having endured a tough first leg away in the Chinese city.
“It will obviously be hot in Riyadh, and the temperature could prove a problem, especially as I haven’t had many opportunities to play in this kind of place,” said the 28-year-old midfielder.
“For me personally, I am interested to see how long I am able to last in those conditions. As a team, we want to score as many goals as we are away from home and of course get the win if we can.
“The main thing is to put in the same performance as we did in Shanghai and put in a good display away from before coming back home.
“Getting an away goal and then finishing it off at our own stadium is the best pattern.”
Urawa’s goal-scoring prowess has been a topic of note with 13 different players scoring in their tournament-leading total of 28 but their defensive organization over the two legs against Shanghai SIPG also impressed.
Not only did Aoki and his team-mates blank Shanghai SIPG’s stacked forward line in the second leg at Saitama but also restricted a team who previously boasted a 100% record at home to a single goal in a 1-1 draw at Shanghai Stadium in the first leg.
“We were talking amongst ourselves even more than usual, communicating with the player closest when defending to make sure we kept the line well organised,” explained Aoki.
“If there was one opponent, we made sure there were two of us defending where he was stood and I think it’s good that we were able to defend so well in that way.
“Shanghai were really difficult opponents but it’s so beneficial to play against those kind of players. Within that, it wasn’t just me but the team as a whole that battled to keep the clean sheet and I think that was very big for us.”
Al Hilal will no doubt prove just as great a challenge, particularly as – like Shanghai SIPG – the team boasts a perfect record when playing in their home nation in the 2017 competition.
“Through training and league games since the semi-final, we have worked on our weak points, looked to improve our strong points, and that’s how we have prepared,” added Aoki.
“For me, I’m starting to play more and more in games, and I want to keep doing that. I feel I am capable of playing even better.”
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com