Umm Salal coach Sergio Farias spoke to the media ahead of their 2021-2022 season QNB Stars League Week 1 match against Al Rayyan.

“The start of the new season will be against a big and strong team, Al Rayyan. We’ll enter the match knowing we must be mentally and physically focused. We’ve prepared well. We played five friendly matches during the training camp.

“We started preparing for the league with our full-strength squad. We know that changes have occurred for all teams. Each team strives to provide the best and from here onwards, we must be at the top of readiness and stay focused because we’re facing a strong team.

“We’ve prepared well for the start of the new season. We’ve done that because our goal is every player takes into account the importance of the league. We know that so many new players have been brought in by other teams. That has been done to develop our players and provide the best in matches.

“The beginning of the new season will show who’ll be the strong teams. Everyone from our side is aware of that. We must do our best to achieve the desired goal since the team has prepared well. We played strong friendly matches during our training camp,” said Sergio.

Umm Salal player Khaled Abdelraof said, “We fully know the importance of the opening match against Al Rayyan and I expect it to be a strong match. It’s very important for us and we’re fully prepared to face Al Rayyan, which is a big and strong team.

“What will happen is unknown. The first round is always difficult and when you’re playing Al Rayyan, it becomes all the more tough. I hope it’ll be good for us and that we, as players, offer the best since the team prepared well before the training camp in Doha and during its overseas camp. I know that everyone is ready to do well.”