Shakhtar Donetsk star heading to Dubai to bolster Red Knights
Dubai: Al Ahli have confirmed the signing of Brazilian striker Luiz Adriano from Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk.
Club President Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah confirmed on social media late on Wednesday that “all formalities have been confirmed” and the 28-year-old Brazilian is heading to Dubai.
Al Ahli have already released Luiz Jimenez to cross-city neighbours Al Nasr, while retaining South Korean Kwon Kyung Won and Brazilian Everton Ribeiro along with the injured Jociel da Silva. Former Liverpool player Oussama Assaidi also seems to be on his way out.
Born in Porto Alegre, Adriano began his career at hometown club Internacional before joining Shakhtar in 2007 for 3 million euros.
Since then, he has been a vital part of the club’s success, becoming all-time leading scorer in October last year, when he was also called up to the Brazilian national team.
Al Ahli have been consolidating their squad with an eye on the Asian Champions League quarter-finals, that they have reached for the first time in their history.
Al Ahli have been consolidating their squad with an eye on the Asian Champions League quarter-finals, that they have reached for the first time in their history.
Adriano’s signing could not have come at a better time considering the Brazilian’s fine form in the Uefa Champions League last season.
Shakhtar finished second in their group, with Adriano equalling Lionel Messi’s record of five goals in a Uefa Champions League game and matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of nine goals in the whole group stage. As a result he was named MVP of the group stage.
Adriano scored his five goals against Bate Borisov of Belarus becoming only the second player to achieve the feat after Messi. His hat-trick took just eleven minutes, the third fastest ever in the competition.
He scored three goals in a seven-minute span, the quickest ever, and his four first-half goals were a record for a player in the competition.
With his fourth and fifth strikes of the same match, Adriano overcame Andriy Vorobey to become Shakhtar’s all-time leading scorer with 117 goals.
Al Wahda zero in on Chile star Jorge Valdivia
Palmeiras midfielder set for UAE return following earlier stint with Al Ain
Abu Dhabi: UAE clubs are keeping a close watch on the ongoing Copa America in Chile, with Al Wahda the latest to be linked to a South American star — Jorge Valdivia from Chile.
Though Al Wahda are yet to give official confirmation, it’s believed to be almost certain that former Al Ain playmaker Valdivia will return to the Arabian Gulf League. He is expected to arrive for a medical test and sign a contract soon after the tournament ends.
The Palmeiras midfielder was with Al Ain for two seasons from 2008, while last year he was set to move to Fujairah, but the deal fell apart with both sides blaming each other.
Valdivia figured in 49 matches for Al Ain and scored 18 goals. The 31-year-old won his first title with Al Ain in 2009, when they beat Al Wahda 1-0 to clinch the Etisalat Emirates Cup.
Before that game, Valdivia was recovering from an ankle injury, but he returned and gave an assist for the winning goal. The same season, he helped Al Ain win the President’s Cup with a 1-0 final triumph against Al Shabab.
The Garden City club then completed a treble of titles when they won the UAE Super Cup, beating Dubai’s Al Ahli on penalties.
Valdivia was named the best player in the UAE league that season.
He was promoted to captain the following season, but after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Valdivia negotiated his release from the club.
He has been leading from the front for Chile in the Copa America, playing a key role in steering the team into the quarter-finals.
Valdivia’s main strength over the years has been his clever, perfectly weighted passes.
MAJID NASER HUMAID BAKHEIT MAQDAMI: PUBLIC APOLOGY
“I would like to apologize to the fans, officials, staff members and the football fraternity at large for the unfortunate incidents that took place during the AFC champions League match between Al Ahli Dubai and Tractorsazi Tabriz in Tabriz, Iran on 4 March 2015.
I am very distraught at what took place. I don't recognize myself from the images that were shown. Any reaction from my side was purely and unintentionally as a result of provocation. In any case I am deeply sorry for what happened.”
He also added that during the game he was harassed by the photographers and the ball collectors, “I tried to keep calm and not respond to their insults, as I was continuously subjected to verbal abuse throughout the match, and it did not stop there but they also kept doing it and followed me after the match on my way to the dressing room".
He continued, "Throughout my football career I have never seen or heard of any incident like the one I experienced in Tabriz, for me to be subjected to such insults from the media who are supposed to be covering the game, but instead I saw them as though they were fans for their team and doing anything to provoke the opposing team players.
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