Today at 5:05 PM, the 13th round of the First Division football league will begin after a break of about 20 days. Fujairah will face City, Hatta will face Al-Zayed, Dba Al-Hisn will face Al-Hamria, and Al-Jazeera Al-Hamra will face Majd. The round will be completed tomorrow with three matches: Al-Emirates vs. Al-Ittihad, United vs. Al-Oruba, and Golf United vs. Al-Arabi. United leads the league table with 24 points, having played one more game than its rivals. They are followed by Dba Al-Hisn (22 points), Fujairah (21 points), Al-Oruba, Hatta, and Al-Zayed (19 points each), then Al-Emirates (17 points), City and Golf United (16 points each), Al-Hamria (14 points), Al-Jazeera Al-Hamra (11 points), and finally, Masfout, Majd, and Al-Ittihad (6 points each). It is expected that Italian star Mario Balotelli will play for Al-Ittihad in the current round, marking his first appearance in Emirati football. The results of this round could play a major role in determining the symbolic 'Winter Champion', with United, Dba Al-Hisn, and Fujairah competing for the title based on these results, or the decision could be postponed to the next round, posing a significant challenge to Italian legend Andrea Pirlo, United's coach. The matches between Dba Al-Hisn and Al-Hamria, United and Al-Oruba, and Fujairah and City are among the highlights of the current round, as they feature strong teams with high technical potential and attract good attendance. Furthermore, the results are crucial in the competitive race for promotion to the ADNOC Pro League.
