Al Wakrah coach Marquez Lopez spoke to the media ahead of their 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League Week 3 match against Al Sadd.

“Our preparations have been very strong over the past two days, and I believe that my team is currently at the highest level of concentration due to everyone’s awareness of the importance of this match that we are playing against a big team like Al Sadd.

“Al Sadd are a very good team at all times and has succeeded in attracting excellent players this season. This team has certainly become stronger now, and we fight when we face big teams, and this match is no different from other matches. I and the rest of the team members are doing everything we can. But we do not know what the outcome will be.

“I am very happy and feel very satisfied with the team. We played two matches in the league and a match in the AFC Champions League play-off, and I am happy with the level of the team. It is true that there are some mistakes, but this is the nature of football, and in general I am happy with the focus of the players and their performance in general,” said Marquez.

Al Wakrah player Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud said, “If you look at the table last season, you will find that Al Sadd were third and Al Wakrah fourth. I expect the match to be close between the two teams and I hope that success will be with us.

“Al Sadd’s strength is always in the midfield with the presence of a player like of Guilherme (Torres), along with the Colombian player and others, but Al Wakrah’s midfield also has strength with the presence of Hamdi Fathi, Omar Salah and Ahmed Fadel. I hope that I too will add the required addition to my team in this position and in general I can say that the team that excels in midfield will be able to decide the match in its favour.”