Tribune News Network
Doha
Al Sadd’s head coach Bruno Pinheiro is excited and confident at Al Sadd’s participation in the 2023 King Salman Club Cup, which will kick off across Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
The Qatari giants will take on Wydad of Morocco in their opening Group B match at the Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha. Saudi’s Al Hilal and Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli are other team in Sadd’s group.
A total of 37 teams are participating in the tournament, which is also known as Arab Club Champions Cup. The event – carrying a total prize money of $10mn – started with preliminary and qualifying rounds, before moving into the group stage. Finally, 16 teams drawn into four groups of four will begin the big battle. The winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the knock-out stage.
Ahead of Sadd’s match against Wydad, coach Pinheiro said: “We are pleased to be part of this tournament. It holds great importance at the beginning of the season, aiding us in achieving peak performance throughout the season.”
The Portuguese coach added: “As the coach of Al Sadd, my goal is to lead the team to win and to compete for the title. Our technical and physical readiness is not yet at its peak, having had only six or seven training sessions at most.” Sadd’s squad consists of 27 players, including new signings Paulo Otavio, Mateus Uribe, Amin Hazbawi, Romain Saiss.
Regarding Sadd’s ability to compete in this tournament, Pinheiro said: “Our mentality drives us to win and compete, and most clubs share the same determination. However, the tournament also serves as a crucial preparation stage for us, especially with a challenging upcoming season. The team may not be in its best form for the tournament, given some injuries and also players who are not fully fit. However, I am confident that the team’s performance will improve with each match.”
Pinheiro was excited with addition of Moroccan defender Roman Saiss, who joined from Turkish side Besiktas on a twoyear contract. Describing him as ‘an experienced player who will bolster the team with his wealth of experience”, Pinheiro also emphasised that Sadd does not rely on one individual player but on a cohesive group capable of achieving victory.
Meanwhile, Sadd’s prolific striker Baghdad Bounedjah was hopeful of a strong performance against Wydad today.
Speaking at the press conference on Wednesday, the Algerian said: “Wydad are one of the top Arab and African teams, boasting high-level players. We had a competitive friendly match against Raja in Doha, during which we displayed a strong performance, preparing us well for this tournament.”
“We are fully aware of Wydad’s players’ capabilities. At Sadd, we approach every match with a winning mentality, knowing that it’s the small details that will decide the game. I hope the match will be of high quality.” Reflecting on his remarkable feat of scoring over 200 goals with Al Sadd, Baghdad stated: “Exceeding 200 goals with Al Sadd is a significant personal milestone. My ambition extends to winning titles and contributing to the team’s championship
success.
“In this tournament, we will maintain a strong focus to achieve a positive outcome, making use of the talent and capabilities of our players.”
