Al Rayyan coach Younes Ali spoke to the media ahead of their 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League Week 8 match against Al Ahli.

“The Al Ahli match will be important, strong and difficult against the best competitors in the first division, Al Ahli club, which presented distinctive and consistent levels, and competes for the lead, but we are coming from a victory over Al Khor in the seventh round, and we seek to strengthen with a second victory. We know that the match will be difficult and complex on the tactical level, and the team is ready to present a better level than it presented in the Al Khor match to continue victories in the league championship.

“The good thing is creating many opportunities and we hope for success in the upcoming matches, and as a coach I worry when the team cannot create opportunities, but when it creates opportunities, I consider it on the right path, and we hope for success in the next match and to exploit the opportunities.

“My ambition is of course to return the team to the right path again. I know very well that the period during which the club contracted with me was not an ideal period. Some people tell me that the period is not appropriate, but I am one of the sons of Al Rayyan club, and if I do not have the courage to be with the team now to return it to the right path, the problem will be with me and not with Al Rayyan club. We promise everyone that the team will return to the right path step by step. We also promise that we will do our best as players, technical staff and administrators. We need the fans, and we know that the fans have an excuse because Al Rayyan are a big team and must be in the best positions. We cannot talk about the beginning of the season because there were coaches and we must respect their work. We are ready to return the team to the right path,” said Younes.

Al Rayyan player Julian De Sart said, “The Al Ahli match in the Ooredoo Stars League will be difficult. After the victory over Al Khor, it has become necessary to win the three points and now we have to continue on this path to continue the victories, in order to advance further in the standings, and we have to do our best and focus hard to get the three points we want.

“The Al Khor match was the first step in the right direction and now we just have to continue working and winning, and developing the team in every match. We know the difference between us and the top teams, and that if we win two matches, we will return to competition and obtain a better position in the league.”