Roberto Mancini, head coach of Al-Sadd, spoke about the strength and difficulty of the upcoming clash against Saudi side Al-Hilal in the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025–2026.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Mancini said: “We are facing a strong and difficult match against Al-Hilal, who are considered one of the best teams in Asia.”
The Al-Sadd coach added: “We are preparing well for this match. It is a tough encounter. When I first joined the team, we were out of the competition, but now we are set to face a strong opponent in the Round of 16.”
Regarding his meeting with Al-Hilal coach Inzaghi, Roberto said: “Inzaghi is my former player and I like him very much. He did a great job in Italy and is now doing a very good job with Al-Hilal.”
Mancini concluded by noting that the change in the competition format is not easy, and that playing a single match is certainly more difficult than playing over two legs.
Meanwhile, Al-Sadd captain Hassan Al-Haydos described the upcoming match against Al-Hilal as a difficult one for both teams.
He added: “It’s a strong match against a big team. I hope for success for my team, to deliver a distinguished performance, achieve victory, and qualify for the next round.”
Al-Haydos continued: “The atmosphere within the team is very positive. Everyone is ready and optimistic. We will deliver a strong performance against a big team.”
