KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) winger Arif Aiman Hanapi (pic) could make his long-awaited return in the Malaysia Cup final against Kuching City at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday (May 23).
Southern Tigers coach Xisco Munoz confirmed that the 24-year-old has been included in the squad, although the club will carefully manage his comeback after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
"I’m happy because Arif is back in the squad list. We will see if he can play some minutes in the final," the Spaniard told a pre-match press conference at the National Stadium on Friday (May 22).
"Arif has not played for a long time, so there is no pressure for him to return immediately. He still needs time to get back to his true level, but based on his recovery and rehabilitation, he looks good."
Arif has been sidelined since Nov 5 after suffering a hamstring injury. He underwent surgery in Spain and continued part of his rehabilitation programme there.
The winger returned to training in April, focusing on regaining his fitness and conditioning, before resuming full training this month to boost his chances of featuring in the final.
Looking ahead to the clash against Kuching City, Munoz expects a stern challenge from the Sarawak side.
"The challenge is that we are playing against a team that conceded only 14 goals in the league. Whenever we play them, it is usually a tight scoreline," he said.
"We need to go into the game at our maximum level. Physically, they are strong and they will demand a lot from us. We must understand the contest and the level of performance required.
"They are a good team and this is an important match. We need to give our best and perform at our highest level."
