Dubai-based coach Diego Maradona believes UAE will struggle at the 2012 London Olympics after being drawn alongside hosts Great Britain, Uruguay and Senegal.
Maradona, who coaches Al Wasl in ther UAE Pro-League, told reporters following the draw that he believed the Olympic team wouldn't "even be given a chance to enjoy" their London experience.
The Argentine said he expects UAE, who have qualified for the Olympics football tournament for the first time, would have a "very tough time".
"They've been assigned a very difficult group and I think they will have a very tough time," Maradona told reporters.
"It was difficult to qualify in the first place and basically this is an unlucky grouping for them. It will be very difficult for them to qualify from this.
"I'm happy for them that they've been faced with such a group in Great Britain, Senegal and Uruguay but they won't even be given the chance to enjoy it."
Maradona also joked about the draw pitting two hot and cold countries against one another, which left a few reports confused.
"When they picked the balls out of the bowl they must have gone for two hot ones and two cold ones, Senegal and UAE are hot while Great Britain and Uruguay are cold," he said.
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