The Argentine legend took over as Al Wasl coach in May, while Neill joined Al Jazira last month.

The 33-year-old Australian defender, who made his competitive debut for Al Jazira in the UAE Super Cup loss to Al Wahda on the weekend, will now face Maradona's side on Thursday.

“It will be a boyhood dream to meet the man because I grew up watching him in the World Cups and my favourite team in the World Cup, because Australia wasn’t playing, was Argentina,” Neill told Sport360.

While Neill is looking forward to that encounter, he is also looking ahead to the 2012 Asian Champions League (ACL), where Al Jazira are hoping to make a better impression after bowing out in the group stage with only one point in 2011.

Neill's signing by Al Jazira was part of their efforts to make a better fist of the ACL, having won the league and cup double domestically and the Australian believes they can make an impact on the continent.

“I have been told coming here that being the champion and cup holder that they want to remain the champion and the cup holder so my expectation, or my goal, is to help the team defend their titles but also there was a lot of emphasis this year placed on the Asian Champions League,” Neill said.

“If we benchmark Japan as Asian Cup winners, then this team has the technical ability to be equal to Japan.

“But I think we have a little bit more work to do as a team especially when you look at playing games at home and then playing games away; sometimes you have to alter your style.

“I think that this team still has a little bit to learn there, if I am being honest. I hope that I can bring some of that education and experience but often you just have to play the game to gain that experience.”

Neill added: “This team, I don’t think they realise their potential and how good they can be and we certainly were nowhere near that level in the game against Al Wahda (in the UAE Super Cup).

“I think we can reach that level. It will come from learning from each other, working harder and being confident that once we get to that level that we can maintain it.”