Ferreira: Nasaf deserved the win, I’m not troubled by our performance

After a 1-0 defeat to Nasaf in the AFC Champions League, Al-Sadd head coach Jesualdo Ferreira said that the opponents deserved the win. He also added that the match was a very difficult one.

Speaking at the post-match press conference in Qarshi, Ferreira said: “The match was very difficult, physical affair. The players usually play much better but today our problem was that we suffered mentally as well. In some matches like these, we cannot show our true level.”

He added: “Nasaf played really well and I congratulate them for a deserved win. We will work towards making up for this result, in the upcoming game against them next week in Doha, where we will look to win.”

As for the absence of Xavi, Ferreira said: “Yes, we missed Xavi’s leadership in midfield but that was not the reason for the defeat.”

He further went on to say: “We have played three matches until now and got 6 points from them. All the teams have equal chances (of qualifying for the next round). We are going to play our next game at home and we will work towards winning it. It doesn’t matter to us if we qualify from the first or second position in the group.”

The Al-Sadd coach also pointed out that Nasaf only created two or three chances in the game. “Al-Sadd could have got the equaliser in the last minute. I am not troubled by the team’s performance, despite the defeat. We need to think with the mentality of fighting to regain our actual level in the next game.”

Ferreira concluded by saying: “We are paying the price for the congested schedule of games in the past month and a half. I am not worried about the team, though, and we are capable of making up for this (result) in the upcoming game.”