Xavi: We were the better side and deserved more than this result

Al-Sadd head coach Xavi praised his side’s performance, after the Wolves drew 1-1 with Al-Duhail in the first leg of the AFC Champions League Round of 16.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Xavi said: “I have been working wih the players for three weeks and I am happy with their performance. We were better than Al-Duhail but this is football; if you don’t make use of the chances, then you won’t win.

“I am satisfied with the performance. We could have won but now there’s another game remaining, which will be played at our home and we are thinking about that game now.”

Asked about how he felt at his first game as coach, Xavi said: “It feels really good to coach this team. Our players were the best and had a great desire to win. The AFC Champions League is a tough tournament.”

He added: “My only disappointment today is that we didn’t win. It’s not a bad result as we scored an away goal but we deserve more than that. What makes me happy is how the players performed on the pitch.”

Regarding the absence of Khoukhi Boualem in today’s game, Xavi said: “Khoukhi is an important player foe the team and he is one of the best players in Qatar. But he arrived late at the camp and did not train much, so he sat on the bench today. We didn’t need him today because of the good performances of the other players. He will have a crucial role to play in the upcoming matches.”

As for the penalty which was not given for Al-Sadd, Xavi said: “Mistakes are part of the game. I don’t like to talk about refereeing. A penalty call in the last minute of the game is tough for the referee, but in my opinion, it was a penalty.”

Finally, Xavi had this to say on debutant Nam Tae-hee: “We played a good game and all the players were excellent. Nam is returning from a seven-month injury layoff but he came back strongly and gave a good performance today. I am proud of what he had to offer.”