Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor brushed off suggestions the Reds will be fatigued when they face Shandong Luneng in their do-or-die ACL group qualifier at Hindmarsh tomorrow night.
With 33 degrees expected for Tuesday night in the South Australian capital, it will be a difficult test for both sides.
The game will be United’s third in nine days after two Hyundai A-League home games last Friday and the Sunday prior.
But the Barcelona great dismissed suggestions his Reds would struggle to meet the demands of a tough midweek clash.
“This is normal in football play always 60-70 games: Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday
“For professional players this is normal, no? The team is good now, in good condition. Including Craig [Goodwin].”
“Now they are in a good moment,” he said at the official pre-match press conference.
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Shandong arrived in the South Australian capital from minus 4 degrees temperatures in China.
The CSL outfit are in the middle of pre-season under a new coach, but easily defeated Indian side Mohun Bagunto qualify for this qualifier.
Reds skipper Eugene Galekovic said he didn’t expect Mano Manezes’ side to press the Reds in the heat and this early in their pre-season preparations.
“We won’t change our whole game to suit the game tomorrow. The biggest difference is you play A-League opposition and you might get away with a few mistakes.
“Against a team like Shandong, you make a couple of mistakes and you probably get punished if you give away the ball in certain areas.”
Galekovic pointed to the 2008 ACL final when the Reds were ruthlessly punished by a fabulous Gamba Osaka.
“Three mistakes cost us three goals,” he said.
And with the Reds taking the chance to re-sign striker Sergio Van Dijk for their ACL tilt, hopes are high in the City of Churches.
“Can we win? Sure. Of course,” Amor declared.
“Our mentality and condition is good. It’s not sure [if we can win] but it’s decided tomorrow.”
