Al-Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez stressed on the difficulty of his side’s upcoming clash with Al-Khor in Round 4 of the QNB Stars League, while speaking at the pre-match press conference.
“We have to change our mindset now, we’ve come back to the QSL and it’s very important for us to win the title this season,” Xavi said. “It’s our main objective and we are ready to compete.”
“The (international) players have come back from the national team after many days, we won the Ooredoo Cup and we are in a good moment.”
“We have to face Al Khor and it will be a difficult game. They changed many players, especially foreigner players. They changed a lot. So it will be difficult.”
He added: “Now, in the QSL, everybody improved a lot and every game is like a war.”
“So we have to be ready and we have to have the mentality to win and to get three points.”
As for playing away at Al-Khor, the coach remarked: “The change in the stadium means it will be a little bit different, but it is not an excuse. For us, it’s the same to play here at home or to play in Al Khor.”
“In my opinion, we are the favourites to win these three points. We have to show our best level, our best version on the pitch.”
“We are doing really well, with a really good performance, especially the young players.”
“Now we have the capacity – we have a bigger squad – to change and rotate players, and everybody will be important in the team.”
Asked about the significance of winning the Ooredoo Cup, Xavi said: “It was very exciting to win this competition, it’s a title everybody wants to win. We are seeing now that everybody plays with the first team.”
“It’s important for us. We are Al Sadd, and even if we play without the national team players, we have to compete and we have to win. This is very important for us and it means that everyone is working well – the reserve players, the young players.”
“I’m very happy because we won a title and it’s very important for me as a coach and also for the players.”
