Doha: Qatar Sports Club officially announced the appointment of Spanish coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez as the new head coach of the club's first football team. The announcement was made through the club's official account on platform X, confirming that Lopez has signed a contract to lead the team for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. He will be succeeding Moroccan coach Youssef Safri, who departed at the end of the 2024-2025 campaign.
According to Qatar News Agency, Lopez previously coached Al-Wakrah starting in 2018, with an initial contract running until 2024. However, in December 2023, he was called upon by the Qatar Football Association to manage the national team during the AFC Asian Cup hosted in Doha. This opportunity arose following the departure of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz. Under Lopez's leadership, the national team secured its second consecutive continental title.
Qatar SC, which is aiming to strengthen its squad during preparations for the new season set to begin on August 14, 2025, has not claimed a league title since the 2002-2003 season. In a bid to improve their standing after finishing 10th last season, the club recently announced the departure of six foreign players. The departing players include Spanish defender Javi Martinez, South African winger Percy Tau, Brazilian forward Carlos Vinicius, Congolese striker Ben Malango, Moroccan defender Badr Benoun, and Egyptian forward Ahmed Abdelkader.