Football fans in Qatar will be in for a treat when the QNB Stars League title holders Al Duhail and this season’s favourites Al Sadd clash in the 14th round which kicks off today.
The marquee fixture of the week, which pits the two title-chasing heavyweights together at Al Sadd Stadium, kicks off at 6:45pm.
Both teams are coming off from big wins in the previous round. Al Sadd blanked Al Sailiya 8-0 last week to extend their promising unbeaten run this season, while Al Duhail recorded their biggest win this year - a magnificent 8-1 annihilation of Al Wakrah.
Despite Al Duhail’s brilliant form, Al Sadd’s Spanish coach, Xavi Hernandez sees today’s game as an opportunity to extend their gap at the top of the QSL standings.
“We have the opportunity to increase the difference and if we win this competition, the probability of winning it is very high. So this confrontation is a final for us.
We are playing at our home and going through a very good period, and Al Duhail are also in a good period, so I think that everyone can watch a good game and see a great performance from both teams,” Xavi said during a pre-match press conference yesterday.
After extending their unbeaten run 11 wins, the most by any team, Al Sadd are eight points clear of Al Duhail who are leading the chasing pack with 27 points.
“We are now in the best position in the past years, we are at the top of the table by eight points ahead of Al Duhail, and that means a lot to us, and now we need to get three points in this match,” Xavi said.
Al Sadd had beaten Al Duhail 3-1 in the first leg and Xavi said they also have the same win-chasing mentality as the Wolves.
“Al Duhail are a team that has the mentality of winning all the championships like Al Sadd, and this means that the match will be very difficult like the last matches we played against them and it was really difficult but Al Sadd were the best, and we have to continue this way, and we are mentally prepared to compete as always,” Xavi said.
Sabri Lamouchi’s men are gradually gaining the lost ground after a relatively slow start in the initial stages of the league season. They have nine wins under their belt, while they lost four matches.
Lamouchi yesterday expressed his opinion on the importance of the clash and said his men are ready.
“Our match against Al Sadd probably comes at a most crucial stage. But Al Duhail are fully prepared for the match. I have great confidence in the players’ ability to provide the best performance on the field,” he said.
“The match will not be easy for us against an attacking team like Al Sadd who play with a distinctive line of attack. Losing against them can cause us to lose ground on the points table, but we will play with enthusiasm and see what happens,” Lamouchi said.
“The results achieved by Al Sadd and Al Duhail recently do not reflect the quality of the league. I feel the two teams are at the top of their readiness and have made strong performances. This does not mean the weakness of the league or its declining level,” said Lamouchi.
