Mumbai, November 7: Al-Ain fired head coach Hernan Crespo less than six months after the Argentine led the United Arab Emirates club to Asia's Champions League title. The decision came after a string of disappointing results that culminated in a 5-1 loss to Cristiano Ronald's Al-Nassr in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. It means Crespo, the former Inter Milan and Chelsea striker, will not get a chance to lead Al-Ain to the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup despite helping it qualify for the tournament in the United States next summer. Cristiano Ronaldo Scores As Al-Nassr Beats Defending Champion Al-Ain 5–1 in AFC Champions League Elite 2024–25.

The high point of Crespo's 12 month tenure was May's victory over Yokohama F Marinos of Japan in the two-legged Asian final but the two-time continental champion has collected just one point from the first four games in this season's tournament.

The club thanked Crespo in a statement on Wednesday but said "recent results have not met expectations." It did not immediately announce a replacement for the 49-year-old Crespo.

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