Doha: Al Duhail's Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi expressed great confidence in his team's ability to overcome its Iranian opponent Sepahan in the match that will take place at Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday, in the preliminary stage of the AFC Champions League Elite.
According to Qatar News Agency, during the pre-match press conference, Belmadi stated that tomorrow's game will be a tough one and a unique challenge in a tournament of significant importance. He emphasized the difficulty of competing in this continental tournament but remained confident in his team's ability to secure victory due to its experience and preparedness to advance to the league stage.
Belmadi further noted that winning tomorrow's match would provide the team with a moral boost and a strong start ahead of the Doha Bank Stars League, set to launch on August 14. He acknowledged Sepahan as a good team with distinguished players and mentioned that Al Duhail has taken notes on its opponent's strengths, expressing hope that his team will translate its readiness into a positive performance in its first match of the new season.
Having coached the team from 2010 to 2012 and from 2015 to 2018, Belmadi has a successful track record with Al Duhail, having led them to win the Qatar Stars League title four times, the Amir Cup twice, and the Qatar Cup once.
Midfielder Karim Boudiaf also commented on the team's preparation, stating that they are on the right path and well-coordinated with the technical staff led by Belmadi. He mentioned that the three-week-long preparation period was focused on being fully ready for the new season. Boudiaf highlighted the team's experience in the continental tournament, emphasizing the decisiveness of tomorrow's match and the need to capitalize on the opportunity to advance to the league stage.
The eight-time Qatar Stars League champions have an advantage over Sepahan, having won three out of four encounters between the two clubs, all in the group stage (2012 and 2022). The winner of tomorrow's match will join 22 teams that qualified directly to the league stage, while the loser will move to the group stage of the AFC Champions League 2.