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Qatar international defender aims for Classico boost against high-flying Al Rayyan<br />
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<strong>What are your thoughts ahead of the Classico against Al Rayyan?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>Which team has the upper hand at the moment?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>What are your expectations for the game?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>What do you think of the professional players in each team?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>What is the reason behind Al Sadd’s decline in results recently?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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.<br />
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<strong>Will the defeats to Lekhwiya and Al Sailiya affect Al Sadd’s chances in the Classico?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>What’s your message to the Al Sadd fans going into this match?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>What’s the team’s ambition for this season, and what’s your individual ambition?</strong><br />
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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.<br />
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<strong>Lots of onlookers are saying Al Rayyan have already won the title. What do you think?</strong><br />
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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.