Al Sadd head coach Roberto Mancini confirmed that his side is ready for their upcoming match against Al Shamal in Round 11 of the Doha Bank Stars League, which will be played on Monday evening at Al Shamal Stadium.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the Italian coach said: “This match will be difficult because Al Shamal are a very good team, but for us it is very important to reduce the points gap between us and the team at the top of the table.”
He added: “The last win in the AFC Champions League was an important one, and I think it was positive for the team because it now gives us maybe an additional chance to qualify. This victory is also important for the league competition, as it has a very strong impact on the team’s mentality and confidence.”
Meanwhile, Al Sadd player Agustín Soria stressed the importance of the upcoming match against Al Shamal, saying: “We know we are going to face a strong team, but we also believe in our work. We are coming off a beautiful comeback in the last match, and I think that gives us a lot of confidence.”
Soria added: “I think we achieved a result that could be very important for us in the next stage. It was one of our last chances. We still have two matches left in the AFC Champions League, and we will fight for everything, aiming to secure the three points in both matches in order to qualify.”
