Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira spoke to the media ahead of their QNB Stars League Week 13 game against Al Arabi.

“I congratulate the Qatar national team on the level it showed in the last two matches, and I’m very happy that seven players from Al Sadd were in the starting line-up. It’s a matter of pride for us in the club.

“I would also like to congratulate Abdulkarim Hassan for being one of the nominees for the award for the best Asian player. I wish him success and good luck.

“I’m sorry about the injury of Nam Tae-Hee although he is a player from a rival team, but he is a good player and we need such players to enrich the league and provide special levels.

“This match against Al Arabi is a derby we seek to win. We have a chance to win the league despite the conditions we faced, such as the setback in the AFC Champions League semifinal against Persepolis even though we were the best.

“What happened in the Al Ahli match in the league will not be repeated. We have to fight against Al Arabi and we have to work hard to win. We have a tough team and this is a good thing so that everyone is motivated and ready, and we hope we will succeed in our mission,” said Ferreira.