We will be ready for World Cup playoff against Australia, says UAE coach Arruabarrena

The UAE national football team head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena said his players would be physically ready for the big fight against Australia when the two sides clash in the Asian playoff for the World Cup qualification in Doha on June 7.

The winner of the clash will advance to the inter-continental playoff against Peru on June 14 for a berth in the 2022 Fifa World Cup (November 21-December 18) in Qatar.

The UAE will also play a warm-up match in the last week of May ahead of their crunch game against Australia in Doha.

“The team will leave for Doha a week before the Australia match, and if we win, we will remain in our camp, waiting for the match against Peru on the 14th of June,” Arruabarrena told reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

Managing the workload will be key leading up to the do-or-die clash with Australia as the players also have important matches to play for their respective clubs.

“What concerns me now is the physical aspect of the players, especially at the end of the season,” the Argentinian coach admitted.

“Therefore we will have to develop a recovery plan for the players as soon as they join the camp.

“This matter dominated my conversations with the officials of the local teams as we don’t want the players to be overburdened, especially those participating with their clubs in the AFC Champions League. But I am convinced that we will be physically ready for the Australia match.”

The UAE finished third in Group A of the Asian World Cup qualifiers behind Iran and South Korea to advance to the playoff against Australia, the third-placed team in Group B.

The top two teams in each group (Iran and South Korea in Group A and Saudi Arabia and Japan in Group B) have already qualified for the World Cup.