Doha: The stage is set for a mouthwatering clash at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium today.
Defending champions Al Sadd will be looking to retain their crown while QNB Stars League (QSL) title winners and rivals Al Duhail will be aiming to bag their second trophy this season in the Qatar Cup final today.
Playing on home turf, Barca legend Xavi Hernandez will be hoping his team fires on all cylinders against raging Al Duhail who have not lost a game in the regular season.
Al Sadd’s star-studded line-up is capable of delivering the goods for coach Jesualdo Ferreira who has plenty to choose from.
Their’s defence consists of some of the best in the business including Pedro Miguel, Mussab Kheder and Boualem Khoukhi.
Spanish World Cup winner Xavi - expected to marshal his troops from the midfield - will have the required support from Ibrahim Majed and Mussab Kheder.
Al Sadd’s feared forward Baghdad Bounedjah - who scored 16 goals during the QSL this season - is also available for the title clash. Bounedjah is the top scorer of the AFC Champions League so far.
The Doha giants also have two of the best Qatari forwards in their ranks - Hassan Al Haydos and Akram Afif in addition to the Algerian star Jugurtha Hamroun.
Reliable Saad Al Sheeb will wear the gloves for Al Sadd during today’s final.
On the other hand, Al Duhail - the team that has terrorised opponents this season - look unstoppable.
Coach Djamel Belmadi’s men entered the prestigious tournament as overwhelming favourites.
They won an astonishing 19 QSL matches this season (just three draws) out of the 22 matches they played.
They kept their momentum and maintained a perfect record in the AFC Champions League, winning six matches they played during the group stage to join Asia’s best in the next round.
Al Duhail - formerly known as Lekhwiya - last week made it to the final of the tournament with a 6-1 thrashing of Al Gharafa, propelled by a brilliant hat-trick from start striker Nam Tae-hee.
The South Korean star is part of their impressive line of forwards in the squad, which also consists of talented Ismail Mohamad, Luiz Martin and Karim Boudiaf.
Moroccan international Yusef El Arabi - who scored 26 goals during the QSL - will also be key in today’s encounter.
He also netted six goals during the group stage of the AFC Champions League.
Almoez Ali, the Qatar national U-23 star, is also a player to keep an eye on, when the Red Knights hit the Al Sadd pitch today.
However, skipper Youssef Msakni’s absence will be a massive loss for Ferreira’s team after the Tunisian suffered a leg injury which he suffered during the final QSL match of the season.
