Western Sydney Wanderers coach Tony Popovic believes his side would be worthy champions of Asia on their first attempt.
The Wanderers face Al-Hilal on Saturday night (Sunday morning AEST) in the second leg of their Asian Champions League (ACL) final in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital.
On the eve of the biggest game of the club's young history, Popovic said there could be no disputing his team's place among the continent's finest.
"They're here because they deserve to be here," he said of his men.
"They're motivated enough, they're not here for a holiday, they're here to win the final."
There is a mood of quiet confidence amongst the Wanderers, bolstered by their 1-0 first leg triumph in Parramatta last Saturday.
If they needed it, the result has instilled a belief that barely two years into their club's history, they are ready to claim the title of Asia's best team.
Others - including the Saudi Arabian media - may not be ready.
Popovic dealt firmly, but with tact, to a range of condescending questions - from whether the pressure was getting to him to if his luck was due to run out.
"If you classify winning 1-0 at home in a final, we're lucky. I'll leave that to your interpretation," he said.
Asked to pose for a photo with the ACL trophy, Popovic said simply "tomorrow, after the game".
Captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley knows where a victory would stand with him.
"It'd be the best moment of my career," he said.
"It's a massive, massive game, we're under no illusions about that but we're really excited to be 90 minutes away from being champions."
Popovic's opposite number Laurentiu Reghecampf had the same confidence but less tact than the Wanderers boss.
In the David and Goliath battle between newly formed A-League side and Asia's grandest club, Reghecampf scoffed a the very notion of defeat.
"I promise you we don't lose tomorrow," he said.
"We will see that and I hope (Western) Sydney will stay a small team."
An Al-Hilal victory would be popular at least amongst those in attendance, with 65,000 fans expected to be cheering for the "blue wave".
The club estimates there will be around 200 supporters of the Wanderers at the match, consisting mainly of ex-pats living in Saudi Arabia and the region.
Just 14 Australian supporters were granted visas to travel to Saudi Arabia for the historic occasion.
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