Al-Sadd will host Al-Qadisiyah of Saudi Arabia, today, at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam, in the third round of the AFC Champions League for the Elite 2026-2027, in an important confrontation during which the leader looks to put an end to his faltering start, achieve his first victories and collect his first points in the tournament, in order to maintain his hopes of competing to qualify for the next round.
Al-Sadd enters the match under the pressure of negative results, after losing the first two matches to the Iranian Esteghlal by three clean goals, and the Saudi Al-Hilal by two unanswered goals, placing it at the bottom of the Al-Gharb region standings without points, in a situation that is not commensurate with the position of the team that won the continental title twice in 1989 and 2011. Romanian coach Razvan Lucescu hopes that his players will regain their balance and perform at a level that befits the team’s capabilities and Asian ambitions.
Al-Sadd received an important morale boost before the confrontation, after regaining the winning tone locally by defeating Al-Shahania 4-0 in the seventh round of the Doha Bank Stars League, raising its score to 15 points in second place, after two losses to Al-Arabi and Al-Duhail.
On the other hand, Al-Qadisiyah enters the confrontation in good spirits, after collecting four points in the first two rounds, after drawing with Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan by one goal, then defeating Al-Wasl of the Emirates by two goals to one, to occupy sixth place in the Western Region standings.
The confrontation appears to be a real test of Al-Sadd’s ability to regain its continental character, in light of its desperate need to win, while Al-Qadisiyah looks forward to the investment of the ground staff and the public and the continuation of its positive results, which heralds a strong match open to all possibilities.
Razvan Lucescu: We need a strong fighting spirit
Al Sadd coach Razvan Lucescu expressed his happiness at being in the tournament, stressing the difficulty of facing Al Qadisiyah, which has high-quality players and deserves to be in the elite AFC Champions League.
Razvan said during the press conference: “I am happy to be here, and a strong match awaits us against a strong team distinguished by the quality of its players. “This is our third match in the tournament, and we hope to achieve a positive result.”
He added: “Every match has its own circumstances and character, and we will work to achieve the best possible result. We must show a strong and high fighting spirit in order to provide the best and prove Al Sadd’s character on the field and achieve victory.”
The Al-Sadd coach continued: “The AFC Champions League for the elite represents a great motivation for any player who wants to prove his abilities and develop, and we must be ready for this competition.”
Razvan explained that the pressure of matches requires the readiness of all players, saying: “The team must be ready, and the injured players have replacements at the same level. With the pressure of competitions, we need the readiness of all players in order to continue the journey and advance in the tournament.”
Brendan Rodgers: We will face a difficult opponent
Al-Qadisiyah coach, Brendan Rodgers, confirmed the team’s readiness to face Al-Sadd, pointing out the importance of the match, which represents the team’s third match in the AFC Elite Champions League, after a positive start during which it achieved a win and an away draw.
He said: “We are waiting for this match with great enthusiasm, as it is a special confrontation for us, especially since it comes after a good start in the tournament. We will play on our home soil and among our fans, and we strive to deliver a strong performance and achieve a positive result. We have distinguished players and great technical capabilities, and we must be extremely focused and serious.”
He added: “We are currently working on restoring the players’ readiness after a match that witnessed great physical effort, and we are ready to fight to achieve the result we aspire to. It is natural for the lineup to witness some changes due to injuries or for the purpose of rotation, and it is an important opportunity for those who did not get enough playing minutes to prove their abilities and take advantage of the opportunity.”
He continued: “Al-Sadd has high-level players, and I previously worked with one of their players, and we are aware of the quality of the competitor, and we also respect the technical staff and the capabilities it possesses. But we are confident in our ability to impose our style and create difficulties for him, and we will deal with the match with full focus and respect.”