Al Sadd players during a training session.
Dammam: Qatar’s Al Sadd are set to throw everything they have at FC Nasaf when the two sides square off today at the Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium, with only the three points keeping the winning side in the race to progress from Group E of the AFC Champions League 2022, according to head coach Javi Gracia.
There was drama aplenty when the two sides locked horns at the start of the campaign, with Al Sadd seeing full-backs Abdelkarim Hassan and Pedro Miguel sent off after the latter’s evening was already on a downward slope, having scored an own goal half an hour in.
Despite the calamities, the Qataris equalised in the second half through Boualem Khoukhi and held out to a 1-1 draw.
Since then, Al Sadd have blown hot and cold, exchanging wins with Al Wehdat after having lost 2-1 to group hosts Al Faisaly, a form that sees them sitting third and staring down the barrel of a second consecutive group stage exit should they not collect all points today.
“It’s our second game against Nasaf. I hope it will be different to the first one because I would like to play with 11 players all game,” said Gracia.
“It will be a tough game for us, I’m sure of that. Nasaf are a well-organised team and very competitive. We are in a moment where all teams need to get the points. I hope we can improve from the last game because we are coming from playing our worst game of the competition so that should be easy to improve.”
With limited spots for foreign players, the former Valencia and Watford boss has opted to leave Baghdad Bounedjah out of his squad for the last two games, with Ghanaian international Andre Ayew starting up front, but the Spaniard could be set for a shake-up of his side ahead of the 90 minutes that will determine their fate.
“We don’t have any other option,” said Gracia.
“We have to go all out and attack in this game because if we don’t get the points, the competition is finished for us.
“The experience of the first game was difficult for us, but we played well even with 10, we dominated the game at times and with nine we defended well and got two chances late on but the goals came from set-pieces and corner kicks."
"We need the points, and we have to give our best and we are ready to do it,” Gracia added.
