Doha: Madjid Bougherra is ready to use the disappointment of losing the Qatar Stars League (QSL) championship as motivation to win the Heir Apparent Cup.
The Lekhwiya star is still bitterly disappointed his side didn’t succeed in winning the league three-years-in-a-row.
After a thrilling season, Al Sadd snatched their crown on the second last day of the season. All is not lost, however.
This Saturday Lekhwiya will take on Eljaish in the first Heir Apparent Cup semi-final. The prize on offer for both teams is a place in the final of a competition neither has won.
And Bougherra admits lifting the trophy next month would go some way to making up for the frustration of falling short in the league.
He said: “Of course it was disappointing not to win the league. “We had worked so hard throughout the season. We were determined to fulfill our ambitions and win the league once more.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t to be but that competition is gone now. We must focus on what we can do instead. The first job will be looking to win the semi-final of the Heir Apparent Cup. It will not be easy but that is the aim.
“Eljaish are a very good team. They pushed us very hard to win second place and have the confidence of winning the QNB Cup already.
“I hope it is something we are capable of doing.”
Eric Gerets’ side lost to Al Shabab Al Arabi of UAE in the AFC Champions League away match yesterday.
The focus now turns to Saturday’s semi with Eljaish at Al Sadd Stadium.
Bougherra added: “You can sense there is something different about this competition.
“We have never won it and I think it’s something the club would like to change. Hopefully we can give ourselves the chance by achieving victory this weekend.
“The competition means a lot to people to Qataris so as one of the bigger clubs in the country hopefully we can do the tournament justice and win.”
Victory would certainly satisfy Bougherra’s hunger for silverware.
The former Glasgow Rangers defender has been used to lifting trophies for the last few years. With Lekhwiya going strong in the Champions League and the Heir Apparent Cup and Emir Cup still to come, there is still plenty time for more medals this season.
But Bougherra admits he doesn’t quite know what it would be like to end a season with no silverware.
He added: “You can’t win them all and I have had a very good record of winning things in the last few years.
“However, that doesn’t make it any easier when you lose something. That’s why it was so hard to lose the league the way we did.
“There is always pressure at this club to do well and win something so we know what we have to do in the next few weeks. Hopefully we achieve it.”
The Peninsula
