During the pre-match press conference held today in Iran, Al Duhail First Football Team Head Coach Djamel Belmadi emphasized the importance of securing a victory in tomorrow’s AFC Champions League Elite match versus Iran’s Tractor SC. He noted that the match is particularly challenging as it is against a strong side that has remained undefeated in the tournament so far.

Belmadi opened his remarks by saying: “Naturally, this will be a tough encounter against a strong opponent, as is always the case in the AFC Champions League Elite. I believe they have not been defeated yet in this competition and haven’t conceded many goals, but we have our own objective, and we must focus to achieve it.”

He added: “Just as I am seeking to win the match, the opposing team will have the same motivation. As long as I win, it doesn’t matter if the margin is only one goal. We are certainly aiming to maintain the team’s balance and score as many goals as possible while keeping a clean sheet.”

Belmadi continued: “Unfortunately, we will be missing the services of Marco Verratti and some other players. Of course, we wished we could rely on Marco; everyone knows his skill, quality, and experience. The team is naturally stronger with him than without him, but the most important thing is that the rest of the players are ready.”

He further clarified: “Tomorrow’s match is not a clash at the national team level. I have faced Iran before as the coach of the Algerian national team, but tomorrow I represent Al Duhail. This is a match of a different nature, in a different competition, with a different atmosphere and different players.”

Belmadi concluded: “I don’t actually know how much external factors will influence the game tomorrow. It is true that the weather is cold here, and the spectators will be there to support their club—which is expected—but these factors will not have an impact on us.”