Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi; Pic: Al Duhail / X
Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail may not have had an ideal start to their AFC Champions League Elite campaign, but coach Djamel Belmadi has defended the Red Knights’ performances and backed them to deliver a strong showing against hosts Al Wahda FC in Abu Dhabi today.
The Qatari side go into the match with just one point from two games with a 2-2 draw against defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC after a 1-2 defeat in their opener against Al Hilal placing them ninth in the West group standings.
Belmadi expressed satisfaction with the team’s efforts so far and urged his players to stay focused in their bid to claim a first win.
“Although we have only earned one point from two matches, I do not consider them negative results, especially since we played against Al Hilal and Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia,” Belmadi said at a pre-match press conference yesterday.
Al Wahda, meanwhile, are fourth in the standings but level on four points with second-placed Al Ahli and third-placed Sharjah. Group leaders Al Hilal top the table with six points.
Aware of the challenge posed by the Emirati hosts at Al Nahyan Stadium, Belmadi said: “I believe that the confrontation with Al Wahda will also be strong during which we will try to play with extreme focus. The opponents have very good players and they are playing the match at home, so we must appear well prepared psychologically. We will rely on a balance between defense and attack.”
The Al Duhail coach confirmed that striker Almoez Ali, who featured in Qatar’s World Cup qualifying play-off win over the UAE on Tuesday, will miss the match due to injury.
“Our preparations have been good despite the difficulty of the recent period due to the absence of all players because of the international break. But overall, the team is ready for the match,” added Belmadi.
Defender Bassam Al Rawi also expressed confidence, saying: “All matches in this competition are difficult. No match is easy, but we work hard in every match to achieve victory and perform at a level befitting the Al Duhail team’s reputation.”
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins said his side is ready to take on defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah.
Al Gharafa are currently sixth in the group with three points, and Martins is eyeing full points from a tough clash.
“It will be a tough match against a side who are defending their title. We will play our own game and we are aiming for a victory. We know their quality and have prepared our strategy accordingly for the match,” said Martins.
