Al-Sadd coach Roberto Mancini emphasised the difficulty of the upcoming match against Iran’s Tractor in Round 7 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025–2026.
Mancini said during the press conference:
“We know it will be a difficult match, but we are preparing well. Our position in the standings is not ideal for us, so in this second-to-last match against the Iranian team — and then in the final match — we will try to keep our chances alive in this competition, whatever those chances may be.”
Mancini continued:
“We are top of the league, but all our focus now is on the continental competition and the match against the Iranian team. Yes, we are not in a good position in the AFC standings, as I mentioned, but we hope to continue winning in Asia just as we have been doing in the domestic league.”
He concluded:
“Our focus now is on the Tractor match, which is a strong team. Our goal is to achieve a good result and deliver a strong performance, especially since the match will be played at our stadium and in front of our fans.”
For his part, Al-Sadd defender Pedro Miguel said:
“For us as players, tomorrow’s match will be difficult against a good team that is second in the group and has not lost any match in this edition. We are ready and aiming to secure the three points, especially since the conditions are in our favor — playing at home and in front of our supporters.”
Pedro added:
“We expect strong support from Al Sadd fans. We need the fans’ backing, and they know we will give everything in the match against the Iranian team. We will do our best to keep our qualification hopes alive despite our current position in the standings.”
He concluded:
“We have a decisive match ahead, and we must win. This will only come with the support of our fans in the stadium. We must earn the three points to keep our chances — even if they are slim — alive.”
