Qatar giants Al Sadd are set to face their toughest test yet in the AFC Champions League Elite when they host Saudi side Al Hilal today at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.
Al Sadd are well poised to advance to the knockout stage and will relish the chance of testing themselves against Al Hilal, who have a perfect 12 points heading into the tie. Al Sadd’s bid to advance to the knockout stage for the first time in four seasons has been progressing smoothly with the 2011 AFC Champions League winners sitting fourth on eight points behind a trio of clubs from Saudi Arabia.
While Al Sadd are unbeaten in six matches on the continental stage - stretching back to last season - they have only won three of their 12 previous meetings with Al Hilal, who have five victories under their belt.
Al Hilal will be aiming to make a statement after their unbeaten run in the Saudi Pro League was ended by Al Khaleej on Saturday. The four-time hampions will, however, be wary of Al Sadd’s threat with the Qatar side having won their most recent meeting in the 2019 edition of the AFC Champions League.
However, their form - on the domestic and continental stages - has been scintillating and with a squad laden with attacking talent, Al Hilal will be confident of extending their perfect record.
Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez said ‘these are the kind of games we look forward to’ as his players are excited at the prospect of playing against Al Hilal.
“We will face Al Hilal, third in the standings, in a difficult match. Playing at home and in front of our fans motivates us to give our best. We’ll approach this game with full strength,” Sanchez said on Monday.
“These are the kind of games we look forward to. The players are excited and ready to perform. We aim for a positive result that will boost us for the rest of the tournament. Every team faces absences. We are focusing on our own strengths and readiness to deliver a top performance,” the Spaniard added.
Al Sadd defender Boualem Khoukhi said he and his teammates to win against Al Hilal. “They are a formidable team, but we’re focused and determined to secure the three points. I hope our fans will be there to support us,” the Qatar international said. “We’ve prepared well and understand the importance of this match. The recent league win has given us great motivation.”
Meanwhile, Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus emphasised his team’s determination and resilience ahead of their clash against Al Sadd, despite facing a tight schedule and limited preparation time.
“Our team started preparing for the match just after our last game in the Saudi League. There was not enough time — only two days, including travel. However, I have trust in our players, their abilities. We naturally want to win and we will approach out match against Al Sadd in the same way we are accustomed to,” he said.
Al Sadd’s Hassan al-Haydos (left) and Boualem Khoukhi during a training session on Monday.
