Al Rayyan coach Nicolas Cordova spoke to the media ahead of their 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League Week 9 match against Al Sadd (Qatar Clasico).

“After winning, the work will be different and the most important thing is that we know that we will face a very strong competitor, one of the strongest teams in the league. And we must be in the best readiness to provide the best performance. We must know that the team is suffering especially on the front of professional players.

“The winter transfer period is an opportunity to strengthen the team. We have a shortage of foreign professional players, especially in the offensive line, and we must include players. We also have a shortage at the level of local players and we need three players to strengthen the defence.

“We have an absence of players who are with Al Annabi in the Gulf Cup, four players in the player development project in Europe and some others in the youth team who are very important to us. We miss a large number of players, be they local or foreign professionals, and the lack of players was one of the reasons for the team’s low position in the table and it is difficult to compete in their absence.

“Winning (over Al Sailiya) is a great incentive to prepare for the match in a better way. With accuracy and high quality in training and match, we hope that we will be ready for this match and win,” said Cordova.

Al Rayyan goalkeeper Ivanildo Rodriguez said, “We are ready, and the team has prepared well, and we know that this match is very important. We will miss an important player in Dame Traore, but we hope to perform well in this game.

“The two teams know their situation well and our goal is to focus on ourselves and collect the three points that we seek.”