2020–21 UAE Pro League

UAE Pro League
Season2020–21
Dates16 October 2020 – 15 May 2021
ChampionsAl Jazira (3rd title)
RelegatedFujairah
Hatta
2022 AFC Champions LeagueAl Jazira
Baniyas
Shabab Al Ahli
Sharjah
FIFA Club World CupAl Jazira
Matches played169
Goals scored566 (3.35 per match)
Top goalscorerAli Mabkhout
(25 goals)
Biggest home winAl Wahda 6–0 Hatta
(16 October 2020)
Biggest away winKalba 0–6 Al Jazira
(14 February 2021)
Highest scoringShabab Al Ahli 3–5 Al Jazira
(21 November 2020)
Longest winning runSharjah
Al Jazira
(6 games)
Longest unbeaten runShabab Al Ahli
(13 games)
Longest winless runHatta
(15 games)
Longest losing runHatta
(8 games)
All statistics correct as of 15 May 2021.

The 2020–21 UAE Pro League was the 46th edition of the UAE Pro League following the cancellation of the previous season, no team changes occurred due to the previous season declared as void in UAE football.[1] Despite starting the season with rough results, Al Jazira went on to win their third league title while Baniyas finished second, coincidentally, both teams finished in the same positions ten years ago in the 2010–11 season.

Stadia and locations

class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams in the 2020–21 UAE Pro League
Note: Table lists clubs in alphabetical order.
Team Home city Stadium Capacity
Ajman Ajman Ajman Stadium 5,537
Al Ain Al-Ain Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium 25,965
Al Dhafra Madinat Zayed Al Dhafra Stadium 5,020
Al Jazira Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan) Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium 42,056
Al Nasr Dubai (Al Nasr) Al-Maktoum Stadium 15,058
Al Wahda Abu Dhabi (Al Nahyan) Al Nahyan Stadium 12,201
Al Wasl Dubai (Zabeel) Zabeel Stadium 8,439
Baniyas Abu Dhabi (Al Shamkha) Baniyas Stadium 10,000
Fujairah Fujairah Fujairah Club Stadium 10,645
Hatta Hatta Hamdan Bin Rashid Stadium 5,000
Kalba Kalba Ittihad Kalba Stadium 8,500
Khor Fakkan Khor Fakkan SBM Al Qassimi Stadium 7,500
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai (Deira) Al-Rashid Stadium 12,052
Sharjah Sharjah Sharjah Stadium 20,000

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Team Head coach Captain Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor
Ajman Egypt Ayman Elramady United Arab Emirates Rashed Malallah Hummel Ajman Bank
Al Ain Portugal Pedro Emanuel United Arab Emirates Ismail Ahmed Nike First Abu Dhabi Bank
Al Dhafra Syria Mohammad Kwid United Arab Emirates Ahmed Ali Adidas Ruwais
Al Jazira Netherlands Marcel Keizer United Arab Emirates Ali Khasif Adidas Healthpoint
Al Nasr Argentina Ramón Díaz United Arab Emirates Tareq Ahmed N45 Emirates Islamic
Al Wahda Netherlands Henk ten Cate United Arab Emirates Ismail Matar Adidas No sponsor
Al Wasl Brazil Odair Hellmann United Arab Emirates Lima New Balance Emaar
Baniyas Romania Daniel Isăilă United Arab Emirates Fawaz Awana Joma No sponsor
Fujairah Tunisia Nassif Al Bayawi United Arab Emirates Hilal Saeed Nike Asas
Hatta Serbia Vladimir Vermezović United Arab Emirates Mahmoud Hassan uhlsport No sponsor
Kalba Uruguay Jorge Da Silva United Arab Emirates Mansor Abbas Erreà Caltex
Khor Fakkan Brazil Caio Zanardi United Arab Emirates Saif Mohammed Adidas No sponsor
Shabab Al Ahli United Arab Emirates Mahdi Ali United Arab Emirates Majed Naser Nike Nissan
Sharjah United Arab Emirates Abdulaziz Al Yassi United Arab Emirates Shahin Abdulrahman Adidas Saif Zone

Foreign players

All teams could register as many foreign players as they want, but could only use four on the field each game.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Players in italics were out of the squad or left the club within the season, after the pre-season transfer window, or in the mid-season transfer window, and at least had one appearance.
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Former Players
Ajman Brazil Luiz Antônio The Gambia Bubacarr Trawally Mali Modibo Maïga Morocco Iliass Bel Hassani Brazil Diego Jardel
Brazil Gustavo Vagenin
Ghana William Owusu
Portugal Diogo Amado
Al Ain Angola Wilson Eduardo Japan Tsukasa Shiotani Japan Shoya Nakajima Togo Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba Kazakhstan Bauyrzhan Islamkhan
Al Dhafra Morocco Issam El Adoua Netherlands Mikhail Rosheuvel Senegal Makhete Diop Spain Pedro Conde Brazil Denílson
Jordan Yaseen al-Bakhit
Al Jazira Curaçao Brandley Kuwas Nigeria Imoh Ezekiel Serbia Miloš Kosanović South Africa Thulani Serero
Al Nasr Algeria Mehdi Abeid Cape Verde Ryan Mendes Israel Dia Saba Portugal Tozé Curaçao Brandley Kuwas
Uzbekistan Dostonbek Khamdamov
Al Wahda Democratic Republic of the Congo Paul-José M'Poku South Korea Lee Myung-joo Slovenia Tim Matavž Syria Omar Kharbin Moldova Henrique Luvannor
Al Wasl Argentina Nicolás Oroz Brazil João Figueiredo Brazil Neris Brazil Ronaldo Mendes
Baniyas Argentina Gastón Suárez Argentina Nicolás Giménez Brazil João Pedro Serbia Saša Ivković
Fujairah Algeria Rachid Aït-Atmane Brazil Douglas Coutinho Sweden Samuel Armenteros Tunisia Firas Ben Larbi Brazil Farley Rosa
Curaçao Roly Bonevacia
Hatta Brazil Jonathas Uzbekistan Dostonbek Khamdamov Slovenia Miral Samardžić Sweden Nahir Besara Brazil Willian Farias
Colombia Kevin Londoño
Hungary Vladimir Koman
Zambia Mwape Musonda
Khor Fakkan Brazil Bruno Lamas Brazil Dodô Brazil Paulinho Brazil Ramon Lopes Colombia Orlando Berrío
Brazil Ricardinho
Kalba Brazil Rômulo Brazil Wanderson Switzerland Davide Mariani Togo Peniel Mlapa Argentina Matías Pisano
Chile Júnior Fernándes
Shabab Al Ahli Argentina Federico Cartabia Brazil Carlos Eduardo Uzbekistan Jaloliddin Masharipov Uzbekistan Odiljon Hamrobekov Cape Verde Héldon Ramos
Uzbekistan Azizjon Ganiev
Sharjah Brazil Caio Italy Igor Coronado Brazil Welliton Uzbekistan Otabek Shukurov

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Date of vacancy Manner of departure Pos. Incoming manager Date of appointment
Baniyas Germany Winfried Schäfer 1 June 2020 End of contract Pre-season Romania Daniel Isăilă[2] 27 June 2020
Fujairah Italy Fabio Viviani Serbia Goran Tufegdžić[3] 12 July 2020
Khor Fakkan Serbia Goran Tufegdžić 12 July 2020 Signed by Fujairah Brazil Caio Zanardi[4] 2 October 2020
Al Wahda Spain Manuel Jiménez 18 July 2020 End of contract Netherlands Mark Wotte[5] 20 July 2020
Netherlands Mark Wotte[6] 7 September 2020 Sacked Serbia Vuk Rašović[7] 7 September 2020
Al Dhafra Serbia Vuk Rašović Signed by Al Wahda Serbia Aleksandar Veselinović[8] 25 September 2020
Al Wasl Romania Laurențiu Reghecampf[9] 18 October 2020 Sacked 12th United Arab Emirates Salem Rabie[10] 20 October 2020
Hatta Greece Christos Kontis[11] 22 November 2020 14th Serbia Vladimir Vermezović[12] 22 November 2020
Al Wasl United Arab Emirates Salem Rabie 7 December 2020 Mutual consent 9th Brazil Odair Hellmann[13] 8 December 2020
Shabab Al Ahli Spain Gerard Zaragoza 15 December 2020 Sacked 7th United Arab Emirates Mahdi Ali[14] 15 December 2020
Al Dhafra Serbia Aleksandar Veselinović 5 January 2021 10th Syria Mohammad Kwid[15] 5 January 2021
Al Nasr Croatia Krunoslav Jurčić 4 February 2021 4th Argentina Ramón Díaz[16] 4 February 2021
Fujairah Serbia Goran Tufegdžić[17] 16 February 2021 Resigned 12th Tunisia Nassif Al Bayawi 17 February 2021
Al Wahda Serbia Vuk Rašović[18] 12 March 2021 Sacked 8th Netherlands Henk ten Cate[19] 13 March 2021

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al Jazira (C) 26 17 6 3 65 29 +36 57 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage and FIFA Club World Cup first round
2 Baniyas 26 16 6 4 50 22 +28 54 Qualification for AFC Champions League play-off round
3 Shabab Al Ahli 26 13 11 2 52 30 +22 50 Qualification for AFC Champions League group stage[a]
4 Sharjah 26 14 6 6 48 29 +19 48 Qualification for AFC Champions League play-off round
5 Al Nasr 26 14 4 8 47 33 +14 46
6 Al Ain 26 11 8 7 39 33 +6 41
7 Al Wahda 26 10 10 6 48 33 +15 40
8 Kalba 26 11 6 9 29 39 −10 39
9 Al Wasl 26 10 7 9 49 47 +2 37
10 Khor Fakkan 26 7 4 15 35 50 −15 25
11 Al Dhafra 26 5 6 15 31 58 −27 21
12 Ajman 26 4 6 16 24 57 −33 18
13 Fujairah (R) 26 4 3 19 31 57 −26 15 Relegation to UAE Division 1
14 Hatta (R) 26 3 3 20 19 50 −31 12
Source: Arabian Gulf League
Rules for classification: [20] 1) points; 2) head-to-head goal difference; 3) head-to-head goals scored; 4) head-to-head away goals scored; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored; 7) number of away goals scored; 8) head-to-head points; 9) fair play ranking 10) draw
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Since Shabab Al Ahli won the UAE President's Cup, they qualified directly to the AFC Champions League group stage meanwhile the league runner-ups Baniyas qualified for the play-off round instead.


Results

Home \ Away AJM AIN DHA JAZ NAS WAH WAS YAS FUJ HAT KAL KHF SAD SHR
Ajman 0–2 2–1 3–3 0–3 3–3 2–3 0–0 2–1 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–3
Al Ain 0–0 4–1 2–2 1–3 1–0 1–1 1–2 3–1 1–0 1–1 2–0 1–4 1–2
Al Dhafra 4–1 2–1 1–5 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–5 3–1 1–0 1–2 2–0 1–2 1–1
Al Jazira 3–0 2–0 1–1 3–0 2–0 3–2 3–3 4–2 3–0[a] 2–0 3–1 1–1 0–1
Al Nasr 3–0 1–2 3–2 1–1 2–2 0–1 1–0 3–2 2–0 2–1 2–1 2–3 2–1
Al Wahda 3–0 0–4 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–2 0–2 2–1 6–0 0–1 3–0 1–1 1–1
Al Wasl 4–2 1–2 2–1 2–3 0–3 2–2 1–4 3–0 2–1 4–4 1–2 2–2 3–3
Baniyas 2–0 4–1 3–1 1–3 3–2 1–1 0–2 2–1 1–0 0–2 5–0 0–0 1–0
Fujairah 1–2 1–1 4–2 0–3 2–0 1–4 1–1 1–3 1–0 0–3 1–2 3–2 2–4
Hatta 3–0 0–1 2–2 0–1 0–3 1–4 2–4 0–3 1–0 4–0 2–3 1–2 2–3
Kalba 2–1 1–1 2–1 0–6 3–3 0–0 0–3 0–2 1–0 0–0 2–1 0–3 1–0
Khor Fakkan 2–3 2–2 5–1 3–0 0–1 1–2 0–1 1–2 0–0 1–0 1–2 2–2 1–1
Shabab Al Ahli 5–1 1–1 0–0 3–5 1–0 2–2 3–0 0–0 3–2 3–0 2–0 4–3 1–0
Sharjah 2–0 1–2 5–0 0–3 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–1 3–2 3–0 1–0 5–1 1–1
Source: AGLeague
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
For upcoming matches, an "a" indicates there is an article about the rivalry between the two participants.
  1. ^ The Emirates FA announced on 1 December 2020 that Hatta were found guilty for failing to fulfill match protocols by only conducting corona tests on 19 instead of 20 players in their match against Al Jazira in Round 7. They decided to award the match to Al Jazira as a 3–0 forfeit win; the match originally finished 2–0 to Al Jazira.[21]

Seasonal statistics

Positions by round

Leader and qualification to AFC Champions League group stage
qualification to AFC Champions League Play off round
Relegation to UAE First Division League
Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
Al Jazira710657432222222222111121111
Baniyas21133687544433333322212222
Shabab Al Ahli44545866798866566555543543
Sharjah52211111111111111233334334
Al Nasr86422323333344455444455455
Al Ain65896545655555644666666666
Al Wahda17764254876677787778878887
Kalba139101010978467789999999997778
Al Wasl128989101099109998878887789999
Khor Fakkan1011141413131211111111111111111111111111101010101010
Al Dhafra33378791010810101010101010101010111111111111
Ajman1113111211121313131313131312121313131212121312121212
Fujairah912131112111112121212121213131212121313131213131313
Hatta1414121314141414141414141414141414141414141414141414
Source: UAEproleague

Top Scorers

As of 15 May 2021[22]

Rank Player Club Goals
1 United Arab Emirates Ali Mabkhout Al Jazira 25
2 United Arab Emirates Fabio Lima Al Wasl 22
3 Brazil João Pedro Baniyas 18
4 Italy Igor Coronado Sharjah 17
5 Brazil Welliton Sharjah 13
Togo Kodjo Laba Al Ain
7 Brazil Igor Jesus Shabab Al Ahli 12
Togo Peniel Mlapa Kalba
Slovenia Tim Matavž Al Wahda
10 Brazil Ramon Lopes Khor Fakkan 11
United Arab Emirates Sebastián Tagliabúe Al Nasr

Clean sheets

As of 15 May 2021

Rank Player Club Clean sheets
1 United Arab Emirates Fahad Al-Dhanhani Baniyas 11
2 United Arab Emirates Ali Khasif Al Jazira 10
3 United Arab Emirates Majed Naser Shabab Al Ahli 8
United Arab Emirates Jamal Al Sarrah Kalba
5 United Arab Emirates Ahmed Shambih Al Nasr 7
United Arab Emirates Khalid Eisa Al Ain
7 United Arab Emirates Mohammed Al-Shamsi Al Wahda 5
United Arab Emirates Adel Al-Hosani Sharjah
9 United Arab Emirates Ahmed Mahmoud Khor Fakkan 4
10 United Arab Emirates Khaled Al-Senani Al Dhafra 3
United Arab Emirates Ali Al-Hosani Ajman
United Arab Emirates Humaid Al-Najar Al Wasl
United Arab Emirates Abdullah Al-Tamimi Fujairah

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Round
Brazil Welliton Sharjah Al Dhafra 5–0 (H) 3 November 2020 4
Brazil Igor Jesus Shabab Al Ahli Hatta 3–0 (H) 4 November 2020
United Arab Emirates Ali Mabkhout Al Jazira Al Dhafra 5–1 (A) 5 February 2021 15
Kalba 6–0 (A) 14 February 2021 16
United Arab Emirates Fabio Lima4 Al Wasl Kalba 4–4 (H) 19 February 2021 17
United Arab Emirates Ali Mabkhout Al Jazira Fujairah 4–2 (H) 15 March 2021 21
Notes

4 Player scored 4 goals
(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

Number of teams by Emirates

Emirate Number of teams Teams
1 Emirate of Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi 5 Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Wahda, Baniyas and Al Dhafra
2 Emirate of Dubai Dubai 4 Shabab Al Ahli, Al Nasr, Al Wasl and Hatta
3 Emirate of Sharjah Sharjah 3 Sharjah, Kalba and Khor Fakkan
4 Emirate of Ajman Ajman 1 Ajman
 Fujairah Fujairah

References

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  2. ^ "Bani Yas name Isaila as new coach; Sharjah to retain Anbari". Gulf Today. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Fujairah pin hopes on Tufegdzic for new season". Gulf Today. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. ^ "زاناردي يدلي بأولى تصريحاته بعد توقيعه لخورفكان" (in Arabic). dubaisports. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Ex-SFA performance director Mark Wotte lands manager's job in UAE with Al Wahda". GlasgowTimes. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Trainer Mark Wotte na één oefenduel al afgeserveerd" (in Dutch). Telegraaf.nl. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
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  9. ^ "الوصل الإماراتي يُقيل مدربه الروماني ريجيكامب" (in Arabic). alghad. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  10. ^ "الوصل يدشّن مرحلة «النصراوي ربيع»" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  11. ^ "كونتيس: شعرت بإقالتي مسبقاً وأتقبل قرار إدارة حتا" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  12. ^ "فلاديمير مدرباً لحتا وإقالة كونتيس" (in Arabic). Albayan. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  13. ^ "تقارير: أودير هيلمان يوافق على تدريب الوصل الإماراتي" (in Arabic). 7 December 2020.
  14. ^ "شباب الأهلي: مدة عقد المدرب مهدي علي سنة ونص" (in Arabic). emaratalyoum. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  15. ^ "الظفرة يكشف أسباب إقالة الصربي الكسندر" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  16. ^ "رسميا..النصر يقيل كرونوسلاف والأرجنتيني دياز بديلا" (in Arabic). albayan. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  17. ^ "المدرب الصربي غوران يعتذر عن إكمال مشواره مع الفجيرة" (in Arabic). emaratalyoum. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  18. ^ "رسمياً.. الوحدة الإماراتي يعلن إقالة المدرب فوك رازوفيتش" (in Arabic). Sport360. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  19. ^ "HENK TEN CATE KEERT ALS TRAINER TERUG BIJ AL WAHDA" (in Dutch). elfvoetbal.
  20. ^ "Article (15) P.50 of Arabian Gulf League Regulations" (PDF) (in Arabic). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  21. ^ "لجنة الانضباط باتحاد الكرة تعتبر حتا خاسراً 3- 0 أمام الجزيرة" (in Arabic). albayan. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Top Scorers 2020/21". soccerway.