‘Tell Bruno Metsu I will play with 11 strikers’ – defiant Esteghlal manager Ronald Koch

MEF - Talking To local leading daily Al-Ittihad on Saturday, German manager Ronald Koch seems defiant and unfazed over today’s crucial outing against hosts and Group C runaway leaders Al-Ain for the count of the Asian Champions’ League quarter-finals stage.

“We have no chance but to win, and win big – so you can surely tell Mr. Bruno Metsu I will be opting for an 11-striker approach against Al-Ain on Saturday,” said Koch.

Esteghlal started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Qatari representatives Al-Sadd, before being narrowly floored 3-2 at the hands of Saudi giants Al-Hilal, now they are in desperate need of a large victory over Al-Ain who are topping Group C table standings with maximum 6 points out of 2 matches, netting on 3 occasions and conceding no goals.

“Naturally, Al-Ain start the game favourites to book the group’s lone ticket in front of their own fans. But we will certainly make it quite a hard outing for them,” stated the former FC Koln, VfB Stuttgart and Besiktas Istanbul supremo, who took charge of Esteghlal only 9 months ago.

“The side lacked commitment and character against Al-Hilal in the last 15 minutes before being inflicted a crucial 3-2 defeat, but the lads are here to learn the lesson,” he added.

“Against Al-Ain, we will be all out on the rampage, right from the goalkeeper. We have nothing to lose, and the hosts have an overwhelming pressure to cope with.

“We have scored 4 gals in 2 matches against top-ranked sides and I believe that if we stand tight at the back against Al-Ain we have the chance to find the back of the net in the opposite half, but everything will depend on the way things are to be tackled at all the departments of the game,” he concluded.