Kicks off 18:00 this Saturday at the Grand Hamad stadium.
 
Al Arabi Head Coach Gianfranco Zola
“We prepared this game well. We have been preparing for a long time. Step by step we have tried to build the team to be ready for this game. I am very satisfied with the players and with what they have done so far. The team is not fully ready. When you play the first game of the season very few teams are ready. We are looking to be competitive and aim to win.”
 
“We saw Wakrah playing against Qatar SC. They are a difficult team to play against. They play physical and have good players. It will be tough especially at the start of the game. They will make it tough for us. Their coach is a young coach. It will be a game where we will have to be careful. We will have to be wary about their striker Sacha Saez. We will be looking to play forward but they close down well and we will have to be prepared for the counter attack.”
 
I know Arabi has been a very good team. But that was back in the 90s. In the last few years they have been struggling a bit. My aim is to get the club back to that level. But I can't get the club to that high level in a few months. But I, along with the coaching staff, are here to give our knowledge to the club.”
 
“I understand and appreciate that the people have expectations from me as the manager of Arabi. But we don't have a magic wand. What we do have is lots of motivation and everyone in the club is working in the right direction. The players have shown great dedication and I am very pleased with that. The start has been good so far. It's a difficult phase but if we stick together we can do well. I would like to thank the Arabi administration for the support that they have given.”
 
 
 
Al Wakrah Head Coach Jose Mauricio
“Our preparation was good. It was a long period. During Ramadan it was difficult but we then went to Rome for the camp. There we had good conditions to train. It was a good atmosphere for the team. It was a bonding time for everybody. There was a big respect among all those present - players and coaches. It was a family atmosphere during the camp.”
 
“The players have put in a good amount of work during the camps. They have done well in trying to adopt the philosophy that the coaching staff has been trying to implement. The players have made the mission easier for us.”
 
“We are playing our first game against a big team with a big coach and this will also be my first game in Qatar. We want to show what we can do on their field and we have the ambition to do well. And that's most important. It's important for us to take three points and get a good start to the season.”
 
“Our first target is to stay away from the relegation zone. We have to build a competitive team. Game by game we will be looking to improve. By taking lot of points and getting more wins at the start which will help us move out of the relegation zone and move towards the top.”
 
“It's important for me as a coach to keep winning games. But we are trying to build a team that doesn't win only by luck but also by strategy. When we win we have to deserve to win. That’s what we are trying to do with this team.”