Abdelkarim: This is a Gulf derby, our goal is to win

Al-Sadd defender Abdelkarim Hassan stressed that his team is fully prepared for the upcoming AFC Champions League Round of 16 first leg clash against Al-Ahli of KSA, which he described as a “Gulf derby.”

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Abdelkarim said: “This is a Gulf derby. Our matches against Saudi teams have always been intense. We are prepared for this game and we hope we can get a win that will help us qualify.”

He added: “We need to score as much as we can, while not conceding any goals. I think it’s going to be a very difficult match but we know how to deal with it in the best way.”

“We have reached an important stage of the competition. We need the support of the fans in order to qualify for the next round. We represent Qatari football and we’re looking to go as far as we can in the tournament.”