Xavi: We are ready for Al Nassr, I feel optimistic about our chances

Al-Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez has expressed his satisfaction with his side’s preparations ahead of the upcoming AFC Champions League clash with Al-Nassr. The quarterfinal second leg will be played at Monday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Xavi said: “We are happy to be at this stage of the AFC Champions League. We are ready for this clash. There’s no doubt that facing Al-Nassr will be tough. We know them well and we know the difficulties that we will face in the game. But I feel optimistic because we are playing at home and in front of our fans. We are going to fight for our chances.”

He added: “We started the season very well. I am happy with the team’s performance. We have prepared for this game with a lot of ambition. We hope fortune will be on our side and we can win the game to get our ticket to the semifinal.”

“There is pressure on everyone and not just Al-Sadd. We have prepared for it (the pressure) in the required manner during the recent past. We know that Al-Nassr have strong players like Abdelrazak Hamedallah and Giuliano, but we too have capable players of a high calibre who are ready for this game. We will put pressure, work on controlling possession and getting the second ball, and we know that they will depend on long balls. We will look to close down space for them, impose our identity, and win the game.”

As for Akram Afif’s participation in the game, Xavi said: “Akram is ready for the game and he will play. His unavailablitiy for the national team is a different matter. He is a professional player and he has great character.”

Asked about the effect of playing the game after the international break, the coach said: “Many of our players played two games with the national team. The rest of the team were with us. Everyone trained in the required manner and we are ready for this clash. It is a huge quarterfinal game and we have prepared in the suitable manner, with one goal in our mind – which is to get a win that lets us progress.”

Xavi also added that Nam Tae-hee was fit to play and will be in the squad for the game.

Finally, he said: “My goal is to win the Champions League. I came to Qatar to win titles as a player and as a coach. I spoke to the players about the importance of winning. I spoke particularly with the captain Hassan Al-Haydos about our ability to win the Champions League, like what the national team achieved with the 2019 Asian Cup. I have confidence in the players and I am very excited for this match. We hope we can qualify for the semifinals.”