Khalifa International Stadium will host the match between Al-Duhail and Iranian Sepahan Steel starting at 7 PM as part of the preliminary round of the AFC Champions League elite stage.

Al-Duhail aims to regain its continental prestige and qualify for the league stage to compete with Asia’s top teams under the new system approved since the last edition, which they missed as league runners-up. Although the task won’t be easy, Al-Duhail is determined to face this tough challenge to return strongly to the Asian scene and secure the best start for the new football season, which will begin locally the day after tomorrow Thursday.

Al-Duhail players showed high readiness during the final training session yesterday at the match stadium, with the technical staff led by Algerian Jamal Belmadi putting the final touches on the starting lineup. The team boasts many shining names, having strengthened its squad with strong signings like Italian star Marco Verratti, Polish Krzysztof Piatek, young Algerian striker Adel Boulbina, Senegalese Youssef Sabaly, and Brazilian Lucas Silva Melo known as “Tuta”.

Yesterday, the technical meeting for the match was held with officials from both teams, agreeing that Al-Duhail will wear the full red kit while Sepahan will wear their primary yellow and black kit.

All organizational procedures and some AFC and security instructions were discussed, including player entry methods, media and medical device locations, arrival timings, and warm-up operations.

Ticket sales continue strongly for the anticipated match, with a large crowd expected at Khalifa International Stadium tonight to support the players and help the team overcome the Iranian obstacle and advance to the next round to continue the journey confidently.

– Navidikia: We Trust Our Abilities

Moharram Navidikia, coach of Iranian Sepahan, confirmed his team’s readiness and said, “Our goal is to reach the league stage and overcome this challenge as we start competing against Al-Duhail. Although we failed to pass the preliminary round last season, we hope to do so now.” He added, “The match is very difficult, especially with the pressures we faced recently, but we trust our team’s capabilities.”

Iranian player Ehsan Hajsafi said his team completed preparations for the Asian challenge, “We understand the difficulty and must play cautiously. We prepared well and hope to please our fans.” He added, “Al-Duhail is a big team with a strong reputation in Qatari and Asian football. We hope the audience enjoys this match.”

– Jamal Belmadi: We Aim to Reach the League Stage

Algerian coach Jamal Belmadi said his team prepared well for the match against Sepahan during the press conference: “We face a very tough match and a special challenge in a highly important tournament to reach the league stage. We prepared well for tomorrow’s match.”

He explained that the continental competition is very tough and expressed full confidence in his team’s ability to win, having enough experience for such matches. “The opponent is a good team, and we studied all their strengths. Winning today will boost our morale before the season starts.”

– Karim Boudiaf: A Decisive Match

Karim Boudiaf, Al-Duhail midfielder, said, “We prepared for three weeks, and the team is on the right track, with harmony in working with the technical staff led by coach Belmadi.” He added, “This match is decisive for Al-Duhail.”