Felix Sanchez, the head coach of Al Sadd, described the upcoming match against UAE’s Al Wasl as a tough and intense challenge in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 for the 2024-2025 season.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Felix said: “I’m happy to be here again. We aim to deliver a strong performance and achieve a positive result. We’ve faced Al Wasl twice this season, and both encounters were highly competitive.”
The Al Sadd coach added: “We are ready for the first leg, and we have the ambition and capability to achieve success in this competition.”
When asked whether facing Al Wasl is preferable compared to playing Saudi teams, Sanchez responded: “The Saudi teams have shown a strong level in the tournament, but in the end, we are facing Al Wasl, a quality side, and the match will certainly be very difficult.”
He concluded: “We have had tough matches in the Qatari league recently and managed to secure victories. However, the match against Al Wasl will be different, as it will be played over two legs. I have great confidence in my players to deliver their best.”
Meanwhile, Al Sadd player Moustafa Tarek emphasized the team’s readiness for the crucial clash in the first leg against Al Wasl.
“We are entering a new chapter in the AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16. A tough and challenging match awaits us against Al Wasl, and we aim to get the best possible result tomorrow before the second leg in Doha,” said Mostafa.
