Al Wasl took to the Dutch town of Tiel, located in the naturally rich Betuwe region, for their summer training camp. The eight-time Emirati champions finished last season on a high, finishing third after winning their last five games in a row.
Portuguese manager Rui Vitoria joined the club in February, taking over from Mesut Meral, and went unbeaten in eight of his 11 league games in charge.
Speaking with Flashscore's Paul Winters, he spoke about his goals for the team's training camp in the Netherlands and ending the 2025/26 season on a high.
Paul: How did the training camp go for you and your squad?
Rui Vitoria: "It went very well. The team’s attitude has been excellent, and the players have shown great commitment. We’re making the most of this period to lay solid foundations, improve in all aspects of the game and forge an increasingly strong identity."
You finished the league in third place, but ended on a high note with five consecutive wins to close out the season. Are you carrying that momentum with you into training camp or are you completely starting from scratch again?
"We finished the previous season on a high, and that helps to build confidence. But football is all about the here and now. We’re building on everything we did well, analysing where we can improve, and approaching this new season with the same ambition and high standards. Every season has its own story."
What were the key targets for this training camp?
"To build a stronger team. To improve our fitness, consolidate our playing principles, integrate the new players and strengthen the bonds between everyone. Several new players have joined, and this period is crucial for speeding up their integration and building a collective identity."
Why did you choose Tiel and the Netherlands for your training camp?
"Because it offers practically everything we were looking for: excellent facilities, the ideal conditions for training at this stage of the season, a peaceful environment and competitive opponents for our pre-season friendlies. These conditions enable us to maximise the quality of our work."
What have been the positives and highlights of your training camp and stay in Tiel?
"The organisation, the quality of the facilities and the peaceful atmosphere have enabled us to work with great concentration. When all the right conditions are in place, the team is able to focus exclusively on what really matters: making progress."
How would you assess the area of Tiel and the Netherlands in general as a base for your summer’s training camp?
"Very positively indeed. It’s a country with excellent facilities for hosting professional teams. We found everything we needed to run a demanding, high-quality training camp."
What effects does training in the Betuwe, an area so different from the United Arab Emirates, have for a team based in Dubai?
"The main difference is the climate. We’re able to train at a higher intensity and recover better between sessions. This allows us to improve the quality of our work and accelerate the team’s development during this phase of pre-season training."
What feeling will you take away from your training camp towards the new season?
"I come away with the feeling that we are making progress. There is still a lot of work ahead of us, as is to be expected at this stage, but I see a committed group who are keen to develop and aware of the responsibility that comes with representing this club. The important thing now is to keep working so that we are ready when the competitions begin."
Paul Winters is Flashscore's Netherlands country manager, having previously worked for Flashscore's Netherlands desk. Paul is an expert on the Eredivisie and also specialises in the NFL, as well as a plethora of other sports. Residing in 'sunny' Katwijk, you can follow all of the news from the Netherlands here.
You can find Paul on X and LinkedIn.
