Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez spoke to the media ahead of their 2019-20 QNB Stars League Week 9 match against Al Duhail.

“We must be ready for this tough confrontation because we know very well the strengths of Al Duhail, individually and collectively. We know they will miss some important players like Asim Madibo and Luis Martin, but that does not mean that Al Duhail are a strong team and do not depend on one player.

“I ask our fans to support us and encourage us because their presence at the stadium will be a big motivation for the players.  There is no doubt that everyone hoped to see Al Sadd in the final of AFC Champions League, but now our focus is on the league and then the Club World Cup. It is an important tournament for the nation as a whole. We want to leave a good impression with our results,” said Xavi.

Al Sadd player Gabi Fernandez said, “We have already beaten them twice this season, but the next match is in a different tournament. Everyone in Al Sadd will do his best to get the victory and collect three points.

“I have big confidence in my team-mates. We have a good mix of youth and experienced players. We have great players like Akram Afif, Hassan Al Haydous and Baghdad Bounedjah. Our target is not only to win this game, but also defend our title.”