Xavi: We’re excited to play in the Club World Cup

Al-Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez has stressed on the difficulty of his side’s upcoming clash against Oceania champions Hienghene Sport in the opening game of the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019. The match will be held on Wednesday evening at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Xavi said: “I am very happy to participate in this big tournament, in which we will play the best clubs in the world, and we are very excited with the start of the tournament, although we know very well the extent of the challenges that we will face throughout the competition, since all the clubs are the champions of their continents.”

Xavi also said: “We will try to display our best level, and we will see what happens later because no one can know what will happen in football. We have to deal with the championship step by step.”

The Spanish legend also remakred that the Hienghene Sport, the champions of Oceania, are a good team, and that playing them will be a difficult task. “But we will try to give our best and leave a good impression of Qatari football and the Al-Sadd team.”

When asked about coaching Al-Sadd after he had played against the club in the Club World Cup, Xavi replied: “Now I have no relationship with Barcelona, ​​because I am part of the Al-Sadd, and I am very proud to train this club and its players. It is an honor for me to lead the club in this big tournament, and we are very happy to participate in it. We will do our best to compete strongly and achieve positive results.”

“I told the players that this is a great honor to play in the Club World Cup, which is one of the toughest and best tournaments in the world, and this means a lot to them,” Xavi added.

As for the Mexican team Monterrey and the chances of facing them if they defeat Hienghene, the coach said: “I have analyzed the Mexican team, but we must first overcome Hienghene, and that match is just as difficult. The Monterrey clash will be very difficult because they have very good players, and usually the matches against teams from Central and South America are very difficult and complicated.”

And on the ability of Al Sadd to repeat the achievement of the UAE team Al Ain by reaching the final of the last edition, he replied: “Why can’t we repeat this achievement? We are aware that it is difficult, but we are here to perform and play and we have one of the best generations in the club’s history; they managed to win the 2019 Asian Cup with the national team, for the first time in the history of Qatar. We have a very good football philosophy and we are capable of continuing the achievements, but the task will be very difficult.”

Asked about being the first person to participate in the Club World Cup as a player and as a coach, Xavi said: “This is a great thing for me, and this is new information for me that I did not know before. It gives me great motivation in tomorrow’s match to win, especially since I played in tournament on three occasions, and won it twice. But it is different this time.”

Xavi added: Our goal is to reach the semi-finals, but we must respect all the teams, starting from Hienghene in tomorrow’s match. Even if we win it, our mission will not be easy either in the next clash against Monterrey of Mexico.”