Al-Arabi arrives in Kolkata ahead of the AFC Champions League Two playoff

Al-Arabi is en route to Kolkata, India, intensifying preparations for a pivotal AFC Champions League Two playoff match against East Bengal, scheduled for August 12. This fixture is critical for securing a spot in the group stage of the tournament.

The club recently completed its training camp in Erzurum, Turkey, where they participated in four friendly matches. Their pre-season campaign saw defeats against Egyptian side Pyramids FC (3-1) and Erzurumspor (3-1), a 1-1 draw with Van Spor, and a concluding 4-0 victory over Amedspor’s reserve team. Following their arrival in India, Al-Arabi, under the guidance of Croatian coach Goran Tomic, will commence training with the primary objective of achieving optimal match fitness.

Meanwhile, other Kuwaiti clubs are also engaged in pre-season preparations. Kuwait Club, the reigning league champion, resumed training in London under Portuguese coach Alexander Santos. They suffered a 2-0 defeat against English club Portsmouth in a friendly, marking the debut of new Brazilian forward Carlinhos Vinicius. Kuwait Club also lost 1-0 to Milton Keynes and is set to play Barnet next Sunday as they prepare for the defense of their Premier League title on August 25 and their AFC Champions League Two campaign.

Al-Qadsia is also in Turkey for a training camp, aiming to arrange a third friendly match before returning to Kuwait. They secured a 3-1 win against Saudi side Al-Orouba after an initial 1-1 draw with Al-Zulfi. This camp is crucial for their domestic league season and their upcoming participation in the AFC Challenge League.