Abdelkarim Hassan: Esperance clash will be tough, we will strive to get fifth place

Al-Sadd full-back Abdelkarim Hassan spoke of the difficulty of the upcoming match against Tunisian side Esperance, which will decide the fifth and sixth place at the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Abdelkarim said: “It will be a difficult and intense match, and we will strive to give our best. We were not lucky against Monterrey and we now aim to win this game and achieve fifth place in the World Cup.”

The Al-Sadd star added: “The Al-Sadd players participated in the Copa America, the Asian Cup and the Champions League, and we always play under pressure and we have become used to that. The team does not fear anyone. The levels of the teams are close in this tournament, and we see ourselves at the level of the rest of the teams.

Regarding the team’s decline in the recent domestic matches, Abdelkarim said: “What happened to the team is normal in light of the pressure that players have to play under with the national team and Al-Sadd club, participating in many matches. We seek to turn our displays around with the help of the coach. We promise the fans that they should not worry and that the team will return strongly to its normal level and will compete hard in all the tournaments.”

Abdelkarim concluded by saying: “I made mistakes in the Al-Hilal match in the Champions League and I bear responsibility for the team’s exit in the semi-finals. Mistakes occur in football and this happens for every player in the world. When a team wins, it is always because of everyone and so defeats should also not be borne by a player alone.”