Javi Gracia: It will be a difficult game for us against Al-Ahli in an important tournament

Al-Sadd coach Javi Gracia has emphasised the difficulty of his side’s upcoming Amir Cup 2022 quarterfinal clash with Al-Ahli.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gracia said: “Everyone knows that we have a busy schedule. We play every 3-4 days, and we do not have enough time to prepare well for each match.”

He continued: “It will be a difficult match for us against Al-Ahly in a very important tournament. As the title holders. we are looking forward to winning it again.”

“We want to win this cup and we will work to achieve that. We will do everything in our power to reach the final and lift the title.”

Asked about Al-Sadd’s eight-goal victory over Al-Ahli, the coach said: “It will certainly be a different game, compared to the last game in the league. They received a red card and this affected them greatly.”

He added: “Al-Ahli is a good and organised team that plays well in every match. We are ready for this difficult match against them.”

“In a cup game, if we make a mistake, we will be exit the tournament. So we must focus and play with great balance in order to achieve victory and reach the semi-finals.”

About rotating players during matches, the Spanish coach said: “We always need to rotate players between matches. As a coach, I always choose the best 11 players for the start of any match, and this is according to the condition of each player I have.”

He concluded by saying: “I have great players in the team and I fully trust them. We are looking forward to the next match in order to win and continue our journey in the tournament.”