Al Duhail First Football Team Head Coach, Djamel Belmadi, affirmed that the match versus Al Sadd is always a top-tier derby, regardless of the circumstances or results of previous matches between the two teams.

Belmadi began his press conference remarks by saying: “Looking at our previous matches versus Al Sadd, they are always strong encounters and a big derby between both teams. If you go back in time over the last fifteen years, you’ll find that the competition has always been confined to these two teams, which confirms the value of this match to everyone. It will be a very big clash.”

Belmadi added: “Of course, things change when you move from one competition to another, whether it’s local or continental, due to the change in atmosphere and circumstances that accompany the matches. This often applies to some players. If we recall the match versus Al Rayyan, you’ll find that we squandered many opportunities and were close to achieving a positive result. This confirms a positive point: the team is able to create many opportunities against opponents, which is very encouraging.”

Belmadi concluded his statements by saying: “Every match has its own nature and accompanying events that differ from one match to another. Of course, we achieved a big victory over Al Arabi in our last match, while Al Sadd settled for a draw in the same round. This doesn’t mean much or reflect the outcome of the upcoming match. The match against Al Sadd is always a derby and has its own special character. We will try to demonstrate a strong performance against a strong opponent, and we will seek to advance in the league competition because we are a bit behind in the standing table. We must make up for this delay and return to the position we aspire to reach.