Hernan Crespo and Harry Kewell, two former football stars with contrasting experiences in the 2005 Champions League final, are set to face off once again, this time as head coaches in the Asian Champions League final. Crespo, now leading Al Ain from the United Arab Emirates, will go head-to-head against Kewell’s Yokohama F.Marinos from Japan in a highly anticipated match.

The 2005 Champions League final saw Crespo scoring twice for AC Milan, only to end up on the losing side as Liverpool staged a remarkable comeback from a 3-0 deficit to eventually win on penalties. On the other hand, Kewell, then playing for Liverpool, had to leave the final midway due to a groin injury but still managed to collect a winner’s medal.

This weekend’s clash between the two former players turned coaches is not only a battle for the Asian Champions League title but also a chance for Crespo to secure a continental title that eluded him during his playing days. The match will kick off at Nissan Stadium, the same venue that hosted the 2002 World Cup final, before moving to Al Ain for the second leg.

For Crespo, the journey to the final has been marked by coaching success in various countries, including Brazil, Argentina, and most recently, Qatar. After a successful spell at Al-Duhail, where he won a league title, Crespo made the move to Al Ain and orchestrated an impressive victory over Al-Hilal in the semi-finals, a team with a rich history in Asian football.

Despite facing tough opponents like Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, Crespo’s Al Ain team, led by Morocco’s Soufiane Rahimi, has defied the odds and emerged as a strong contender for the Asian Champions League title. The upcoming final against Kewell’s Yokohama F.Marinos promises to be a thrilling encounter between two footballing legends turned coaches.