Al Rayyan coach Poya Asbaghi confirmed his team’s readiness for their upcoming match against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, which will be hosted at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, marking the start of Al Rayyan’s journey in the 2024-2025 AFC Champions League.
During the press conference held on the sidelines of this match, he said: “Al Rayyan’s preparations are going well. The atmosphere within the team is excellent, and there is great enthusiasm and a desire to perform at our best in this continental tournament.”
He added: “We know Al Hilal’s strengths, so we will try to neutralize their danger and we will demonstrate that on the field. We have performed well in the recent match against Al-Shahaniya in the domestic league, but continental competition is different, where we must play with a different defensive organization than the matches we played in the domestic league in order to be able to build attacks, maintain good possession of the ball, and ensure that the opponent does not dominate.”
He continued: “We respect our opponent and we have great abilities, and there are many strengths, such as the Serbian striker Alexander Mitrovic, as well as Salem Al-Dawsari, and we have a great deal of knowledge about all Al Hilal players, and everyone in the team hopes to perform their best in this continental tournament, which includes an elite group of great players.”
In conclusion, the Al Rayyan coach praised the new system of the continental tournament, noting that it provides an opportunity for teams in the West and East regions of the continent to play more matches and gain significant experience.