Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins spoke to the media ahead of their 2026-2027 season Doha Bank Stars League Week 2 match against Al Shamal.

“The victory over Al Shahania is always a positive thing, especially in a match where the performance was not perfect. A win always has a positive impact on training for the next match and gives the players more confidence, which was clearly evident during our preparations for the upcoming game.

“I expect an open game against Al Shamal. We watched their first match and it was good and open, and I expect our match to be the same, with both teams exchanging control throughout the game.

“Al Shamal did not perform at the level they did last season in their first match, which is normal, as we are still at the beginning of the season,” said Martins.

Al Gharafa player Abdulrahman Fayez Al Rashidi said, “Preparations for the match were good, the victory over Al Shahania gave the team confidence going forward and we are aiming for the three points. Al Shamal are a good team in every position.”