In a difficult and strong confrontation, and in a separate meeting, Al -Duhail meets today with the Iranian Sibahan in the preliminary round of the group stage in the AFC Champions League 2026. The match will start at seven in the evening at Khalifa International Stadium, and it must be a winner in it, and if the original time ends in a tie, the match will extend to the extra time, then to the penalty shootout if the tie continues. The winner of the match will be attached to the teams that qualify directly to the group stage, and the loser will turn to play in the AFC Champions League 2.
This is the first time that Al-Duhail played the preliminary round, as it qualified 12 times a previous previous since 2011, while it is the second time for Sibhan who faced Al-Ahly youth in the preliminary round last season and lost Sibhan 1-4, and qualified for the AFC Champions League 2.
Al -Duhail hopes to overcome his difficult rival in the original time, especially and the match comes at the beginning of the football season and the team is still in the first step and needs some time to complete the technical and physical fitness of his players.
Al -Duhail also rebuilt his team by annexing new professionals, and by restoring his former Algerian coach, Jamal Belmadi, who knows each big and small about his former team and knows what he needs.
Expectations confirm that the confrontation will be difficult that Sebohan is one of the strong Iranian and Asian teams and participated 16 times in the AFC Champions League, which is the summer of the 2007 edition, and in turn seeks to overcome Al -Duhail and qualify for the groups.
Al -Duhail, as usual, will play a attacker from the first minutes, and despite that, he is required to be cautious about Sebahan’s apostates, quickly and at the lowest number of passes after he strongly defends his goal and the penalty area.
The Al -Duhail attack from the first minutes must be met with the exploitation of opportunities, which is the problem that the team suffered in the past two seasons, and led to the loss of all the championships without exception and his exit from the two seasons empty -handed.
In the expected formation, Al -Duhail will rely heavily on the intellectual mind and the Italian playmaker Marco Ferrati, as well as the French Benjamin and the Algerian Adel Bulbina.
Al -Duhail will also count on the two backs to launch behind the attack and support with the cross balls of the head of the spear Al -Moez Ali, and also the Spaniard Louis Alberto.
There are also a number of other winning papers owned by Al -Duhail, which will play an important role, especially the fast suite, Admalson, known for its penetration from the left and pass the cross balls.
Belmadi: We look forward to winning
Jamal Belmadi, Al-Duhail coach, stressed that the confrontation seems very difficult, and it constitutes a special challenge for us in a very important championship and said that the confrontation of Cibahan in the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League 2025-2026 is very task and we seek to win to qualify.
He added: We have sufficient experience and we trust in our capabilities and our capabilities to win to qualify for the league stage in the Asian Championship. He continued: We have fought strong preparations for the match and we look forward to winning because it also gives us moral incentives for the start of the new season, noting that Cibahan is one of the serious teams and we have been keen to prepare for him to study technically and determine his strengths.
Navidic: We trust our capabilities
Muharram Navidicia coach Sebahan affirmed that Al -Duhail’s confrontation seems very difficult, but we trust in our capabilities to win because we are looking to qualify for the league stage, which is one of the most important matches that we play this season. This came at the press conference before confronting Al-Duhail in the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League 2025-2026.
He added that Al -Duhail is one of the good teams and has made many changes in his ranks by contracting with a coach and new players, but I have great confidence in my team players, so I am sure they will do their best until the last minute.
While Ihsan Haj Safi, the player of Sibahan, stressed: We know that the match will be very difficult because Al -Duhail is a good team, and his ranks recently strengthened with distinguished players.
Boudiaf: ready to meet
Karim Boudiaf, Al-Duhail player, said before confronting Cibahan in the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League 2025-2026:
We will play a decisive match against Cibahan and we are ready for it, as we have played strong preparations for a period of three weeks, and we are walking on the right path led by our coach Jamal Belmadi and we are very in harmony with his way of work.
He added: We will play a decisive match in which we look forward to winning and we have a great experience in the Asian Championship.
I turn on the meeting tickets
Al -Duhail fans continue to turn to the tickets for the match that were presented through the official website of Al -Duhail Club, where this confrontation is expected to witness an intense presence of the flood lovers who want to support the players in this important continental challenge. The Al -Duhail team had concluded its training in the stadium of the match, “Khalifa Stadium”, and the training witnessed intense physical and tactical exercises, amid a high moral atmosphere from all the players, who expressed their intention to win in order to pass the group stage and secure the best start for the new football season.