Qatar international defender aims for Classico boost against high-flying Al Rayyan

What are your thoughts ahead of the Classico against Al Rayyan?

It will be a tough game, but everyone is looking forward to it. We know there is a lot of focus on us as we have lost the last two games, but we are confident of getting a positive result.

Which team has the upper hand at the moment?

Al Rayyan are top of the league and have won all their games, so they have the edge, but we are more than capable of getting a good result. We know that Rayyan are technically very good and are a physical side. However, I personally feel optimistic about this match.

What are your expectations for the game?

It will be a difficult match, that’s for sure. I know we will improve on our recent performances, and that will give us a good chance of getting a result.

What do you think of the professional players in each team?

Al Rayyan’s professionals have had a huge impact recently. However, both sides have distinguished players throughout their squads. We can’t just focus on the professionals.

What is the reason behind Al Sadd’s decline in results recently?

Every team in the world goes through difficult stages, and we are no different. We were disappointed to concede four goals against Lekhwiya and did everything we could to get a result against Al Sailiya, but their goalkeeper had an unbelievable game.
We now have a new coach and new ideas. We will go into the next few matches with a fresh outlook, and I’m confident we’ll be successful.

Will the defeats to Lekhwiya and Al Sailiya affect Al Sadd’s chances in the Classico?

It doesn’t matter what has happened previously – it is all about what happens on the day in these huge games. Obviously the defeats affected us, but we will be strong on Thursday. We know we can turn this around.

What’s your message to the Al Sadd fans going into this match?

As always, we will give everything and try to send the fans home happy and satisfied. As I said earlier, we feel confident going into this game. We have the tools to trouble Al Rayyan.

What’s the team’s ambition for this season, and what’s your individual ambition?

For Al Sadd, our ambition is to win some silverware. For me personally, I hope to help Qatar qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Lots of onlookers are saying Al Rayyan have already won the title. What do you think?

Al Rayyan have had an amazing season so far, there is no doubt about that. However, there is a long way to go. Every team will have its ups and down during the season.