Al Arabi take on Al Sadd in a deferred match from Week 5 of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League. The kick-off is at 18:45 at the Al Arabi Stadium on Monday, 6th January, 2020.

The game was deferred due to Al Sadd’s AFC Champions League commitment.

Al Sadd have one more match in hand, against Al Khor from Week 7, also deferred owing to the same reason. It will be played on 21st January before the QNB Stars League’s Week 13 action begins on 23rd January.

In between, the 2020 Qatar Cup will be held, with semifinals on 10th and 11th January, and final on 17th January.

Al Arabi and Al Sadd go into the match against contrasting backdrop.

In Week 12 action last weekend, Al Arabi defeated Al Ahli 3-0, while Al Sadd suffered a 1-2 defeat at the hands of promoted side Al Wakrah.

Al Arabi moved up from sixth to fourth position with their sixth victory. The Dream Team have the same number of points (18) as Al Sadd, but are placed fourth on better goal difference (+9 as against Al Sadd’s +8).

Al Arabi drew three matches and lost as many. They scored 22 goals and conceded 13.

Al Sadd slipped one place to fifth following the defeat. The Wolves scored 27 goals, five more than Al Arabi, but conceded 19.

Al Sadd also have six victories to their credit. They lost the other four games.

Both teams have a number of prominent players in their ranks.

Al Arabi boast of Tunisian striker Hamdi Harbaoui, Mohammed Salah El Neel, Icelandic midfielder Aron Gunnarsson, who has returned from an injury, and German Pierre-Michelle Lassoga.

Al Sadd have the likes of Algerian ace Baghdad Boundejah, South Korean Nam Tae-Hee, Hassan Al Haydous, Akram Afif, Abdelkarim Hassan and Pedro.