Al-Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez emphasised the difficulty of the upcoming clash with Al Rayyan in the Amir Cup final, which will is scheduled to kick off at 7 PM on Friday at Al Thumama Stadium.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Xavi said: “A difficult and complicated match awaits us, contrary to what some think.”
“We are excited to play the match. We have gone through a long period to reach this final. We are very happy to be at Al Thumama Stadium. Our match with Al Rayyan is the Clasico of Qatari football and we have complete respect for Al Rayyan. It is a good team that has a good coach with great experience in Europe, and they have excellent players like James and Nzonzi.”
Xavi continued, saying: “We will not change our style of play. We need to attack, control and win.”
“I am excited for this final at Al Thumama Stadium. I wish the best for the two teams, and I hope we can satisfy our fans.”
Regarding Al-Rayyan coach Laurent Blanc’s comments that cup matches differ, even if Al Sadd are the favourites, Xavi said: “Laurent is right. We have to control the details, whether in attack or defence. All details are important. We cannot make mistakes. We will fight and strive to win. We must have determination, and a great desire to win. This is the Al-Sadd that we want.”
When asked about Al Thumama Stadium and Qatar’s preparations to host the 2022 World Cup, he said: We see that Qatar is working hard to organize an excellent World Cup, and I am proud to be here for the inauguration of Al Thumama Stadium. I wished I was a player so that I could be the first to play at this stadium. I’m proud that I’m part of this project.”
