Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins spoke to the media ahead of their 2025-2026 Doha Bank Stars League Week 16 match against Al Shamal.

“We aim to deliver a strong response against Al Shamal after our recent results, especially in AFC Champions League Elite, which fell short of our expectations.

“The season is not over yet and the upcoming match will be another test against a team having a good season, making it a difficult game. However, I have great confidence in our players and we will come back stronger. 
“Recent results have somewhat affected our self-belief, but everyone knows the value and potential of our players, and we will return stronger in the remainder of the season,” said Martins.

Al Gharafa player Yousef Moussa said, “The team is fully prepared for the Al Shamal match. Al Shamal are a strong competitor for Al Gharafa, but we will adhere to the coach’s instructions to secure the points.”