This part of the world has become a favourite retreat for the Premier League’s biggest stars – but Chelsea’s trip to Abu Dhabi is about so much more than winter sun.
Neighbouring Dubai hosted its usual influx of footballers during the recent winter break, with Instagram feeds overwhelmed with images of fabulously wealthy young men basking in its luxurious trappings.
But roll the clock forward and it is strictly business as the Blues prepare to start their Club World Cup campaign, even if Thomas Tuchel has been forced to stay back in England as he self-isolates after testing positive for Covid-19.
There remains hope will be able to join up with his squad later this week and there is little doubt he will be climbing the walls as he awaits two negative lateral flow tests.
Until then, the Chelsea manager remains in constant contact with his coaching staff – led by assistant Arno Michels – and the message is clear: Don’t come back empty-handed.
Training in temperatures of around 23 degrees at their Ritz Carlton base against the spectacular silhouette of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, preparation for tomorrow’s semi-final against Al Hilal has been serious.
In just over a year in charge at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel has left no-one in doubt about his attitude to silverware. He is a trophy-hunter. And while he is not the type to dwell on past achievements – unlike Jose Mourinho there is no commemorative watch to mark each championship – he is acutely aware of the opportunity to make history out here in the United Arab Emirates.
The title of world champions is the only one that has evaded Roman Abramovich during the Russian’s ownership.
That is motivation enough to reach Saturday’s final, which is expected to be against Palmeiras, who are firm favourites against Al Ahly today.
Tuchel is a man who rarely needs added incentive – just ask Chesterfield or Plymouth, who were confronted with Chelsea’s biggest stars in their recent FA Cup ties. But in the context of this season, the German will acknowledge the need to provide highlights like this as a gauge of the progress being made under him.
The club’s Premier League title pursuit is effectively over just past the halfway mark of the season. That is an historically uncomfortable position for any Chelsea manager to be in under Abramovich’s watch, which is why regular highlights, in between, will act as a helpful distraction for Tuchel in a campaign that still has plenty to offer.
The Champions League resumes in two weeks and there is another showpiece in the form of the Carabao Cup Final against Liverpool at Wembley on February 27.
While top four is an absolute minimum requirement, this season is now all about the cups.
The European Super Cup is already housed alongside last May’s Champions League triumph and the Club World Cup would make it a grand slam of international trophies to match the achievements of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Real Madrid in recent years.
That is the type of company Abramovich wants to keep and even if the challenge of breaking Manchester City’s domestic dominance is still Tuchel’s priority, it will do him no harm to provide such benchmarks in the meantime.
It has been a bleak winter for Chelsea’s manager, one that has seen his title pursuit all-but extinguished, while he has faced the most searching questions of his short reign.
Whether or not he manages to make the trip to Abu Dhabi, it presents the chance of another highlight and the opportunity to reignite the campaign.
