Less than six months after he led UAE club Al-Ain AFC Champions League title, Hernan Crespo was sacked as the head coach. Al-Ain showed the Argentine legend the door after a string of defeats, culminating in a 1-5 loss to Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday.
The loss to Critiano Ronaldo's club left Al-Ain at the bottom of the 12-team west zone standings halfway through the AFC Champions League—now called Champions League Elite—with one point from four matches.
⚽ Asya Şampiyonlar Ligi Elite 4. hafta mücadelesinde Al Nassr sahasında son şampiyon Al Ain'i 5-1 mağlup ederken Talisca 2, Cristiano Ronaldo 1 gol kaydetti! 💥#DSmart #DSmartGO pic.twitter.com/jk9lpOKLD4
— D-Smart (@DSmartDunyasi) November 6, 2024
In the UAE Pro League, too, Al Ain have just eight points from five matches and are eighth in the 14-team table. They are 10 points adrift of table leaders Shabab Al Ahli.
In May, Crespo led Al-Ain to a famous win over Yokohama F Marinos of Japan in the two-legged final of the AFC Champions League.
Hernán Crespo campeão asiático com o Al Ain! Goleada de 5 a 1 sobre o Yokohama F Marinos para reverter a decisão da Champions a favor do time dos Emirados Árabes, que disputará a Copa Intercontinental de 2024 e o Mundial de Clubes de 2025.pic.twitter.com/MDrhEVe6nS
— Leonardo Bertozzi (@lbertozzi) May 25, 2024
The two-time continental champions thanked Crespo, who took over in November last year as the head coach, but added that "recent results have not met expectations" in a statement.
Under the former Inter Milan and Chelsea striker, Al-Ain qualified for the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup, but the 49-year-old will not be leading the team into the tournament slated to be held in the US next year.
Al-Ain are yet to name a replacement for Crespo.
