Roberto Mancini, head coach of the Al-Sadd team, stressed the difficulty of the upcoming match against the Saudi side Al-Ittihad, as part of Round 8 of the AFC Champions League Elite for the 2025–2026 season.
Mancini said during the pre-match press conference:
“We face Al-Ittihad in another very difficult match, and it is extremely important for us to achieve nothing but a win. We are waiting for our opportunity. Our journey in this tournament has not been good from the start, but we now have an important chance and we must make the most of it.”
The Italian coach added:
“The players are professionals and they know what is required in these big matches. Certainly, we need the win and the players are aware of that. They are taking all the factors of the match into consideration.”
He concluded:
“Al-Ittihad has been delivering strong performances and their position in the standings is good, which increases the difficulty of the match. We will be facing a big team, but we are capable of winning.”
For his part, Al-Sadd defender Boualem Khoukhi said:
“We as players are ready to achieve our goal, which is the three points. We are one group with one spirit, and the coach has the freedom of choice. The whole squad is ready after the recent rotation in the Amir Cup.”
He added:
“We know it will be a difficult match, and we call on our fans to continue supporting the team after their huge role in the last match against Tractor.”
Boualem also addressed the Al-Sadd supporters:
“Everyone knows the role of Al-Sadd’s fans. They support us in every match, and we need the same passion they showed in previous games.”
He concluded:
“The Al-Ittihad match is the most important one for us in this season’s AFC Champions League Elite. God willing, our fans will be there, and we too will be ready and fully prepared for this tough encounter.”
