Doha, August 31 (QNA) - Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins and Al Sadd Coach Razvan Lucescu spoke to the media ahead of their Qatar Cup 2026 semifinal, slated for Tuesday.
"We are eager to give off our best against Al Sadd. Our objective is to secure a victory and reach the final. It will be a fantastic and extremely important match. The tournament features four teams and each one is fighting to reach the final and win the title. All teams have the necessary experience to handle such encounters," said Pedro Martins.
"Our players will fight to win. We have a group of players we will try to utilize to the fullest extent possible and we hope to resolve some issues regarding the squad list so we can benefit from the remaining players," he added.
He went on saying: "I am satisfied with the current squad but am looking forward to having more options and solutions in the upcoming stage. A full squad will make the team even stronger."
"We are well aware of Al Sadd's strengths, but Al Gharafa are always among the favorites to compete. We have the experience and the ambition, and everyone will do their utmost to achieve victory," Pedro Martins said.
For his part, Al Sadd Coach Razvan Lucescu said: "Our team is entering the match with one goal: to win and qualify for the final. This competition means a lot to us. Winning two matches gives us the chance to lift the cup, which would be a culmination of the players' efforts and a source of great joy for the club's fans."
He added: "We understand that facing Al Gharafa is different from league matches, and therefore we must be at our absolute best.
Al Sadd go from one tournament to another with a winning mentality. We started the season well, but our ambitions are high and we want to always be ready."
"Regarding Akram Afif, I would emphasize that he is a distinguished player with great intelligence and the ability to make quick, correct decisions. He (Akram) always thinks about the team's best interests and has a strong desire to win, so it is natural to see his impact and clear contributions. I am very happy to lead this group of players," said Razvan Lucescu. (QNA)