Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro will be the guest of honour when the team he represents, Dubai’s Al Ahli Club, take on Perth Glory in a friendly next Tuesday.
Al Ahli have been training in Perth for the last fortnight ahead of the upcoming United Arad Emiates Football League season kicking off, after a disappointing campaign last year that saw the club sack former manager David O’Leary.
Since retiring from football after a glittering career for clubs like Juventus and Real Madrid, Cannavaro has been employed as a football consultant and ambassador for the UAE club and it will be in this role that he comes to Perth to see his side take on Perth Glory.
Fresh from a recent tour of South Africa where the club played several games, Glory coach Ian Ferguson said the clash with Al Ahli was perfectly timed.
“We are looking forward to the chance to play a quality side like Al-Ahli,” said Ferguson, who was quoted on the official Football West website.
“Playing a team from the Middle East will be good preparation for the upcoming Hyundai A-League season.”
As they look to recover from a disastrous season last year, Al Ahli have been linked with some big money moves for prominent Australian players Lucas Neill and Harry Kewell.
They have already made some big acquisitions, though, in Brazilian duo Avelino Coelho and striker Grafite, along with Chilean international Luis Jimenez.
All three will be looking to put in a big performance against the Hyundai A-League side, which will be playing their second high-profile friendly after a 2-0 loss to Celtic last July.
