Xavi: Happy with the win and the performance, it was a good test ahead of Al-Nassr clash

Al-Sadd head coach Xavi saluted his players after their 4-1 win over Al-Wakrah in Round 1 of the QNB Stars League.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Xavi said: “It was a really tough match against a strong team. They have a good coach who made the team very organized. We struggled with the high pressure in the first half.”

He added: “The sending-off of the Al-Wakrah player gave us an advantage. We managed to control possession against an organized team. It will be tough to defeat Al-Wakrah in the league.”

“I am happy with the performance of the players. We pressed forward and came up on top in the second half, especially as we were 11 against 10. We need to improve our performance further in the upcoming games.”

The coach also spoke about Akram Afif’s withdrawal: “Akram Afif felt some pain in his back and will undergo additional medical tests tomorrow to know the extent of the injury. I wanted to take him off so that we could preserve him; he is a crucial player for the team.”

Finally, Xavi added: “This game was a good test for the upcoming game against Al-Nassr in the Champions League, as it will be a tough match in an intense atmosphere. We will prepare well for it. Our goal is to reach the semi-final.”