Al Arabi coach Younes Ali spoke to the media ahead of their 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League Week 15 match against Al Rayyan.

“The match is considered as one of the major clashes that bring together two big teams with rich tradition, and everyone’s focus is entirely on this match.

“The team faced many difficulties in terms of absences and injuries during the previous period, and there are also positives such as the high physical performance and fighting spirit of the players. We achieved a positive result in the last match against Al Duhail, thanks to the team’s high fighting spirit.

“We seek to keep achieving positive results and we enter the next match with full focus. We will fight hard to get the three points. The match is important and against a strong competitor, and we know that our fans will always be behind us, as they do in all matches.

“Regarding the possibility of Rafinha Alcantara playing, the matter has not been finally decided, and we will see during the team’s final training session whether he can play or not. We must be ready for all possibilities and Rafinha is an important player for the team, but we have options and alternatives that can provide the desired level,” said Younes.

Al Arabi player Marco Verratti said, “The Al Rayyan match is an important one and the team is ready for it. We seek to prepare in the required manner to achieve the desired results.

“We are looking to provide the best performance and result, and the team that takes advantage of rivals’ mistakes will have a greater chance of winning, and we hope that we will succeed in making our fans happy.

“The presence of our fans in the stands will raise the morale of the players and motivate them to give everything they have. The team’s stars are required to focus on the field.”