Doha: Spanish coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez of Qatar SC did not hide the difficulty of his team's task in facing Al Ahli Saturday, at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, as part of the third round of Doha Bank Stars League. The Qatar coach added in a statement during the pre-match press conference: "We will face a strong competitor who performed well last season, but this season they haven't achieved a single point after the first two rounds. However, we have great respect for them. I told the players about the importance of complete focus in this match and performing at their best. We hope to be successful."
According to Qatar News Agency, Marquez Lopez emphasized the team's thorough preparation for the Al Ahli match, stating that they have trained as required over the past period. He acknowledged the difficult nature of the match and expressed hope that his team would perform optimally to secure the three points.
For his part, Croatian coach Igor Biscan of Al Ahli confirmed: "My team will play one of our toughest matches this season against Qatar SC, one of the league's most prominent teams. We need to focus on achieving victory and kick-start the team's journey this season, following two losses to Al Shamal and Al Sadd." Biscan stressed the team's dire need for a win to overcome their difficulties, noting that while they did not perform at the required level against Al Shamal, they showed improvement against Al Sadd but lacked certain elements crucial for victory.
Qatar SC currently ranks third in the Qatari league standings with 6 points, trailing Al Shamal, Al Sadd, Al Rayyan, and Al Gharafa on goal difference. In contrast, Al Ahli finds themselves in twelfth place with no points, highlighting the stakes of the upcoming showdown for both teams.