Al Wakrah coach Poya Asbaghi spoke to the media ahead of their 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League Week 16 match against Al Rayyan.

“The technical staff focused on preparations for the Al Rayyan match in the 16th round of Ooredoo Stars League after regaining fitness in order to enter this match in the best possible way.

“The preparations for this match are different of course because it has not been long since we returned from Saudi Arabia after playing the match against Al Taawoun in the AFC Champions League Two.

“We played a strong match that lasted for 120 full minutes in addition to penalty kicks, and what is important now is that we have turned the page on that match and left it behind us in order to focus on the league match.

“The Al Rayyan match will be difficult and you cannot include players who are 90 per cent ready only due to fatigue, because they will suffer against a team like Al Rayyan, so we must also look carefully at the formation and determine the players who are most ready to play this match,” said Asbaghi.

Al Wakrah player Ayyoub Assal said, “There was not much time to prepare for the Al Rayyan match. This match will be difficult from a psychological point of view.

“We as a team need to be fully prepared to fight to get the three points that we need very much and we will be like that in all matches.

“I have followed them (Al Rayyan team) well this season and they always have a good team, so it will be a difficult match, and we will do our best to achieve victory.”