Kawasaki Frontale coach Shigetoshi Hasebe has dismissed the yawning financial chasm between his J-League club and big-spending Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli as the teams prepare to meet in Saturday’s Asian Champions League Elite final.
Kawasaki qualified for the decider at Jeddah’s King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Al-Ahli’s home ground, on Wednesday with an against-the-odds win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, and Hasebe now had his eye on claiming another big victim.
His side face an Al-Ahli squad worth an estimated US$200 million and boasting Uefa Champions League winners Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino, but Hasebe said the huge transfer fees and salaries paid by Saudi clubs would mean little at kick-off.
“The budget is a very important factor, but the players are not playing with their wallets or their credit cards,” Hasebe told reporters.
“The players play football on the pitch. Of course, money and the budget will affect things somehow, but football is played on the pitch.”
