Umm Salal coach Patrice Carteron spoke to the media ahead of their 2025-2026 season Doha Bank Stars League Week 1 match against Al Gharafa.

“We are confident in our strategy. The most important thing is to have a plan and ambition to achieve something this season.

“As for Al Gharafa, they are a strong and organized team and their players are of a high standard. We have nothing to lose and we know who is stronger and who is tougher, but in football, anything is possible. We will play positively and respect our opponents.

“The presence of a large number of professionals in each team will make the league difficult and every match will be full of difficulty and great challenges for all teams,” said Carteron.

Umm Salal player Oussama Tannane said, “The team is ready for the opening match against Al Gharafa. We are ready to do something big in the league. We will play hard. Al Gharafa are a great team and we will face them with respect, but we play to win.”