Artur Jorge, the coach of Al-Rayyan, confirmed the team’s readiness to face Yemen’s Tadamun Hadramout in the opening match of their Gulf Champions League campaign. During the press conference held on the sidelines of the match, he stated: “Participating in the Gulf Champions League is a great opportunity for us. We will face strong competition in this tournament, with a significant challenge and ambition to reach the final. Our preparations have focused on studying our upcoming opponent, Tadamun Hadramout, and further preparing our team. We aim to build on the positive aspects from our previous matches in local competitions, and we are ready for the game.”
He added: “Al-Rayyan is one of the favorites in the tournament, and our focus is on tomorrow’s match and the opponent we will face. We need to maintain the same ambition in every game and find a balance between attack and defense. I believe we will score in every match, but we need to be more disciplined defensively. We have conceded four goals after the 90th minute, which is tough, so we need to work on this and stay more focused.”
He continued: “There is no pressure on the team; we are here to compete. Last season, we reached the Amir Cup final. This season, we have played eight matches, losing two and drawing one. We know the team has new players and changes, which require some time. Time is tied to expectations, but no one expects more from the team than we do ourselves. We will strive to give our all, not only in matches but also in daily training. The players’ performances in matches reflect this. I see their competitiveness every day, and they implement instructions during games. I’m very pleased with their attitude, but of course, we want to improve and play our style against any opponent. Al-Rayyan is a very big club, and we need results and commitment from the technical staff and players.”
Addressing the fans, he said: “We will face our first opponent in the tournament. The presence and support of Al-Rayyan’s fans are crucial for us in this competition. Together, as Al-Rayyan, we are stronger.”