Felix Sanchez, head coach of Al-Sadd’s first team, spoke about the difficulty of the upcoming Qatar Cup semifinal against Al-Ahli, set to be played on Tuesday evening at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Sanchez said: “We’re happy to have won the league title and to be participating in the Qatar Cup, a competition that brings together the top four teams from the final standings of the Ooredoo Stars League. It’s an important match against Al-Ahli, and we aim for a positive result to reach the final.”
He added: “Al-Ahli achieved good results in the league, and we’re well aware of that. We drew with them in the first phase of the league, but this upcoming match is different. Al-Ahli will also give their best, and we must be cautious and deliver a better performance to overcome them.”
Regarding the team’s preparation, he said: “We are preparing strongly for the match, and our focus is on the strengths of our team. This is a different challenge compared to league matches, and all of our players are fully ready.”
He continued: “In the league, it’s a long journey. We fought hard and managed to outperform everyone, showing our strong character by the end of the season. But the clash with Al-Ahli in the Qatar Cup is a different scenario—we have just one chance to qualify, so we must give our best.”
Sanchez concluded: “Winning the Qatar Cup is a personal challenge for me after winning the league title. Our goal is to win all the trophies this season to make it a historic year for Al-Sadd.”
Ahmed stresses importance of semifinal against Al-Ahli
Al-Sadd player Ahmed also highlighted the significance of the upcoming semifinal against Al-Ahli in the 2025 Qatar Cup.
He said: “Matches between Al-Sadd and Al-Ahli are always tough and exciting. It’s a special encounter, and we’re fully committed to giving our best and achieving victory to reach the final.”
He added: “It’s going to be a difficult match for both teams, but we are very motivated to win and qualify.”
He concluded: “I hope the Al-Sadd fans show up in numbers. Our goal is to give everything we have and bring joy to our supporters by reaching the final.”
