Eric Gerets will come up against a familiar foe when Al Jazira welcome a resurgent Al Wasl to Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday.
Argentine Gabriel Calderon will be in the opposite dugout after taking over the Cheetahs following fellow South American Jorginho’s sacking two months ago.
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Things were looking bleak back in October, with Calderon arriving and Wasl waiting for their maiden league win while languishing second from bottom of the table.
How times change. They now sit seventh, just five points off the lead that the Pride of Abu Dhabi enjoy at the top, following a complete turnaround under the 54-year-old.
They are unbeaten in their last seven encounters in all competitions, have won four and drawn one of their last five league games and are on a three-match winning streak away from home.
Calderon and Gerets’ paths have crossed or run parallel to each other on several occasions in the past.
Calderon was an unused substitute when Argentina lost 1-0 to a Gerets’ led Belgium in the group stages of the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Almost 30 years later, Calderon retained the Saudi Premier League title in 2011 with Al Hilal that Gerets had won the previous year.
Describing the threat posed by Calderon’s rejuvenated Wasl, Gerets said: “They are good, they are more than good, so we will have to be well prepared. Take it from me, it will be a difficult game.
“Everybody hates to lose but if you have to lose one of these last four games, the best one to lose was the one we did, against Sharjah, because the other two opponents we met are better in the table, so they were two important games.
“The fact Wasl have been playing really good football the last month, it makes it more dangerous.”
Jazira have doubts over goalkeeper and captain Ali Khaseif, as well as defender Khalid Sabeal, but midfielder Khamis Esmail returns after suspension.
Asked if beating Wasl and finishing the year top of the table would send out a strong message for 2015, the 25-year-old UAE international said: “We are not looking to send any messages to our opponents. We are only concentrating on ourselves and working hard to give more than 100 per cent on the field and getting more points.