TMW exclusive
Matteo Lombardo is the director of the Academy and the coach of the Al-Ain Primavera team, the most glorious and successful club in the United Arab Emirates. It is, to be clear, the club that is playing in the Champions League final with Hernan Crespo at the helm, against Yokohama Marinos coached by the Australian Harry Kewell.
His is a story of passion and wandering, of obstinacy. He is 39 years old and already has a coaching career of about ten years behind him. “I started at the age of 28 with Inter, as a technical collaborator of the Under 16s the first year and then as a technical collaborator of the Under 18s. In the third year, the club gave me the opportunity to be the first coach of the Under 16 Inter national team”.
After three years he leaves
“There was the first sliding doors, I went to Salernitana with Mr. Bollini, as a field analyst, and in Salerno I learned to do everything. A piece of my heart remained there. With Colantuono I was a technical assistant, I coached the Primavera for a handful of months with Mr. Genovese, I experienced the first team with Gregucci in a role of greater responsibility. With Menichini I also found myself leading the first team in some matches incredible gym.”
And then you go to Spain. Why?
“I went to the San Fernando Club Deportivo, a Spanish Serie C club, because there was an ambitious project. I went to be the technical director of the cantera and the coach of the second team, in Serie D. There I had the task of rebuilding from scratch the youth sector of the club, bring players to the first team and enhance them for two years, the ownership was of an Emirati fund. Here’s the connection with Al-Ain…”
One of the most important clubs in that area of the world
“Here we want to develop the Emirati player and add foreign players to increase the competitive level of the teams. In June 2022 I do an interview, they invite me to an international tournament in Morocco and from that moment I begin my journey: technical director of the academy and coach of the Under 19s. The size of the project is enormous, as is that of the club.”
Have you already managed to bring any players to the first team?
Abdulkarim Trawi, midfielder born in 2005. Or Hazim Abbas, already in the senior national team. And again Daraman Komari, Mohamed Hamid or Solomon Sosu: all 2005″.
How did you manage to import yourself?
“The first year was not easy, entering a club of this size in an important role is not an easy transition: fortunately we obtained the championship-cup double, it was the first time for the Under 19s. From there I joined with more responsibility and strength, I brought about ten professionals and this year we won six titles. I brought professional coaches here from all over the world, currently our technical body is made up of people of 34 nationalities including coaches and players. We have won 6 titles and we are fighting for other titles. And then we have played some international tournaments, winning prestigious matches like the one against West Ham’s Under 19 team they are 5-6”.
And your secret dream?
“I obtained my UEFA A license in Spain, next year I will do the Asian Pro course for coaches and I hope to also do the UEFA Pro in Italy. I hope to achieve a lot of satisfaction with this club, Al-Ain is like Juventus in Italy or Real Madrid in Spain. For the rest I don’t exclude anything, now the goal is to continue training as a manager even if I will focus above all on the role of coach knowing that all these experiences can help me along the way in these ten years I’ve learned to understand that everything happens for a reason. I think it will happen again, I’ll just have to have the courage to put my all into whatever comes.”