Rattled Sadd aim to bounce back against Gharafa

Defending champions Al Sadd would look to get their Ooredoo Stars League campaign back on track when they meet Al Gharafa in the sixth round at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Thursday.
Al Sadd, who have lost their two previous matches to Al Duhail and Umm Salal, are currently in seventh place with six points. They have lost three games and won two so far. Al Gharafa meanwhile are in fourth place with eight points from two wins, two draws and one loss.
Al Sadd would look at this crucial tie as a must-win game and aim to get their act together. Coach Felix Sanchez on the eve of the clash, said, “We have a very difficult match against Al Gharafa, we know that after the last match (Al Sadd lost to Al Duhail 1-5), it is very important to perform well.
“Al Gharafa have many players from last season and their technical staff is also continuing. They are a very organised in defence and the match will be challenging but we are confident in our ability to play well. We got two bad results in the last two matches in the league. We know that this is an opportunity for us to make a comeback and show the fans that the team is ready and that we have the desire to perform much better,” said Sanchez.
Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins said he expects a tough battle. “We expect Al Sadd to be at their best. They usually do not play two bad matches, so we are waiting for the best from the opponents. We want to win and will fight for that,” he said.
About some absences in his team, Martins said, “Rodrigo and Madibo are absent due to injury and there are doubts about Jang Hyun-Soo’s participation.”
In another key clash of Week 6, Al Arabi will meet Al Rayyan at the Al Thumama Stadium. The clash presents an opportunity for both teams to push hard for a win and to aim for the three valuable points to advance in the rankings.
Al Arabi are still in search of their first win in the league having drawn four matches and lost one. They have 4 points and are currently 9th in the standings. Al Rayyan, who have scored two wins and suffered three losses so far, have 6 points to their credit and are in 8th place.
Coach Younes Ali, who has just taken over charge of Al Rayyan, said, “This is a new challenge for me at my home, Al Rayyan Club. The Al Arabi match is against a strong competitor. Derby matches are always not subject to previous standards or results, and it is a three-point league match in order to improve the team’s position in the league championship.”
He added: “The period in which I took over the team is a short one and I saw that the players have keenness and seriousness to appear in the best way, and the team is fully prepared for the upcoming match.”
Younes thanked Al Arabi for the previous period he spent with his former team, noting that he moved from a big team to a big team as well, and said: “This is a new challenge at my home, Rayyan club, and I am looking for Rayyan to return to its normal position by winning championships, and our focus now is on the Arabi match, and then we will focus on the Al Nassr match in the AFC Champions League Elite.”
Al Arabi coach Anthony Hudson said his team was fully prepared for the match. “We are looking forward to facing Al Rayyan as this is one of the most important matches in the league. We know that Al Rayyan are a strong team with distinguished players, so we must be at the peak of our focus. The match will be a big challenge and winning it will not just be three points, but it is also what reflects the team spirit. Our goal is to score the three points and please our great fans, and we promise them to provide our best,” he said.
In the other games of the week, Al Wakrah will play Al Khor (today), Al Shamal will meet Al Ahli, Umm Salal will take on Qatar SC, and Al Shahania will face Al Duhail (all on Friday).