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Omar looks forward to reuniting with Manchester City

The ‘Arabian Messi impressed one and all at the Etihad Stadium and the club were keen on signing the star player.

Al Ain’s Omar Abdulrahman is tackled by Al Jazira’s Khamis Ismail during their AFC Champions League tie. — KT photo by Nezar Balout

The UAE’s very own Omar Abdulrahman put the country on the world’s footballing map when he was invited for a trial at Manchester City. The ‘Arabian Messi impressed one and all at the Etihad Stadium and the club were keen on signing the star player. But work permit issues meant the move was stalled.

Two years on, Omar, affectionately called ‘Amoory,’ will reunite with the English Premier League champions, but at the opposite end, in his own backyard. The attacking playmaker is relishing the opportunity to go up against the best. “I am looking forward to the game and so are all the players here,” Omar said.

“We all have a lot of respect for Manchester City. They have some of the best players in the world. Every player, no matter who they play for, wants to play against the best teams and the best players,” he added. Manchester City’s full squad touched down in Abu Dhabi and underwent a training session at Al Jazira’s Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, attended by thousands of fans.

Omar, who made everyone sit up and take notice during the London Olympics, said that it will be a proud moment to play against a team like Manchester City, especially at the new Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. “It’s a proud moment for us to play against such a great team at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. It’s a great stadium, one of the best that I have played in and what better way to show the world how good it is than a match against Manchester City,” said Omar.

james@khaleejtimes.com