Qatar SC coach Ze Ricardo spoke to the media ahead of their 2021-2022 season QNB Stars League Week 4 match against Al Arabi.

“An important match awaits us against Al Arabi especially as it is a good team with fast players. Their players are good in attack and defence, so we must be smart. Every match has a different story. We must understand that we cannot change the past and play only for what is to come. I would say beating Al Arabi will be very important for us.

“The changes in the team last season and the current one have been great. Unfortunately, we have not been able to collect the points, but I have great confidence in my players. By focusing and not being affected by the negative results and taking each match in isolation will be good for us.

“Facing Al Arabi has great importance for us. The solution is to continue working hard and we must continue to focus on the importance of avoiding mistakes. We must also remember that each of us bears the responsibility to create better team spirit within the squad.

“Regarding the result of the Al Shamal match, we did not appear well in the first half. In the second half, we got opportunities, but we did not succeed in capitalizing on them. The players blame themselves for missing the scoring opportunities. I say it is sometimes pressure that hinders hard work. We must increase the players’ confidence in themselves and help them overcome negative thoughts or mood. We have to continue moving towards achieving our goals. We will enter the Al Arabi match with great focus,” said Ricardo.

Qatar SC player Hossam Kamal said, “I take this opportunity to apologize to the Qatar SC fans for the results achieved so far. ‘We, as players, have great confidence in ourselves and we still have a long way to go’ is my message to our fans. We have to learn from our mistakes and turn the page of the past.

“The match against Al Arabi will be strong and I feel it will be a difficult test for us. We need the support of our fans and we promise them that we will provide the level required of us as players.

“There is no doubt that we all bear responsibility for the sorry results and we must learn from our mistakes. This attitude will serve us in the future. We must not waste any point in the league. We promise our fans we shall do our best. We, as players, thank them for their support. We are very keen to go out and deliver a better performance.”