Alkass Digital
Eyeing best preparation for the new QNB Stars League (QSL) season, Al Rayyan are set to begin their overseas training camp in Vienna, Austria today.
The Lions, under new coach Leonardo Jardim, reached Vienna last evening where they will be based until August 7 as they continue their preseason training.
Al Rayyan are also expected to play three friendly matches during their training camp in Austria. They will first meet a Hungarian side and will then play against their QSL rivals Al Duhail, who will also set up their camp in Seefeld from July 23 to August 11.
Al Rayyan are also in talks to play a friendly against Saudi side Al Ahly.
The 29-player Al Rayyan squad in Austria includes Saud Al Hajri, Fahd Younes, Fahd Al Qasimi, Sami Mazen, Shogo Taniguchi, Abdullah Al Ali, Bassam Al Rawi, Ahmed Al Minhali, Ali Jasmi, Hossam Al Din, Khaled Moftah, Hassan Al Gharib, Youssef Omar Al Din, Adel Badr, Thiago Mendes, Osama Al Tiri, Nayef Al Hadrami, Abdulaziz Hatem, Mustafa Essam, Moamen Moatasem, Ibrahim Masoud, Khaled Ali, Sufyan Boufal, Ibrahim Al Hassan, Muhammad Siraj, Abdul Rahman Al Harazi, Rodrigo Moreno, Tamim Mansour and Ahmed Al Rawi.
Al Rayyan kicked off their preparations on July 1 with a home training camp and played a friendly against Al Shahaniya before leaving for Austria.
The Lions – winners of eight QSL and six Amir Cup titles - are hoping to bounce back from a dismal 2022-23 QSL season in which they finished ninth in the standings escaping relegation.
Al Rayyan have made several changes in the squad since then including the new signings of Spanish forward Rodrigo Moreno and Brazilian midfielder Thiago Mendes besides roping in Qatari defender Bassam Al Rawi.
Meanwhile, Al Shamal have also started their training camp in Austria to prepare for the QSL season to start on August 17.
Their Swedish coach Poya Aspaghi is currently emphasising on players’ fitness during their training sessions.
The team will also play several friendly matches before wrapping up the camp on August 2.