Al-Sadd coach Roberto Mancini stated that his side deserved to defeat Japan’s Vissel Kobe and progress to the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Mancini said: “We played a strong match and were leading 3–1. We were closer to winning, but that’s football.”
The Italian coach added: “We made some mistakes that helped the Japanese side come back into the game, and we failed to take our chances in extra time, which could have secured our place in the semi-finals.”
He concluded: “I am proud of my players and their ability to deliver a good performance throughout the tournament. We will continue working in preparation for what lies ahead.”
