Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins spoke to the media ahead of their 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League Week 3 match against Al Rayyan.

“We are preparing in the same way we prepare for every match, seriously and professionally and focusing on what we have to do. Certainly we are not happy and I know that we are preparing for a difficult match, but on the other hand we are strong in the dressing room, especially after the loss to Al Ahli. We know our responsibility completely and at the same time I feel the strength of the group.

“I think that no one will change anything, I will not change the way we play and I am sure that the Al Rayyan coach will not do that either. We lost, that is true, we have ambitions like Al Rayyan and I see that it will be a difficult and balanced match.

“Fabricio Diaz and Muntari will be absent. However, there is a possibility of Ahmed Al Janahi returning. We hope that Diaz will recover quickly because he is a fighting player and we expect him to return sooner than the doctor said.

“I am sure that our fans are not happy and we are not happy either, so we want to unite like last season and as happened in the AFC Champions League in the last match. We are fighting for that and we need their help in these moments when we are not in good condition,” said Martins.

Al Gharafa player Hamed Ismail said, “All players are ready for the Al Rayyan match. We were not successful against Al Ahli, but the team is still cohesive and we have technical staff at the highest level and players capable of dealing with difficult circumstances. God-willing, we will appear in a different way and please the fans.

“When a player is away from matches for a long time, he certainly cannot offer his best because matches are what contribute to the development of the player’s level, but I promise the fans and officials who support me to play for Al Gharafa that I will offer my best to help the team.”