The Peninsula
Qatar’s Al Sadd have increased their training intensity as they are preparing for the upcoming King Salman Club Cup, eyeing a flying start to the new season.
The Wolves, now under Portuguese coach Bruno Pinheiro who recently replaced Juan Manuel Lillo, resumed their training at their home turf of Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday after wrapping up their overseas training camp in Austria.
The QNB Stars League (QSL) giants held a camp in Seefeld from July 1 to 15 during which they also played three friendly matches.
Al Sadd’s players, who were on Qatar national duty at the recently-concluded CONCACAF Gold Cup in the United States, also joined the team’s training camp. As part of their preparation for the King Salman Club Cup to be played in Saudi Arabia, Al Sadd will meet Morocco’s Raja Club Athletic in a friendly match at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium tomorrow.
They are in Group B of the tournament where they will play against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal, Morocco’s Wydad AC and Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya.
The Wolves will meet Wydad AC in their opening match on July 27 at Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium in Abha, and will face Al Hilal challenge on July 30 at the same venue. Their last group game against Al Ahli Tripoli is scheduled on August 2 at Damac Club Stadium in Khamis Mushait.
Qatar SC were the other club from Qatar to take part in the tournament but they were knocked out of the event by Tunisian club CS Sfaxien in the two-leg qualifier.
The group stage of the tournament will see a total of 16 teams – divided into four groups – in action.
The knockout stage will begin on August 5 with the quarter-finals while the semi-finals will be played on August 9. The final is scheduled on August 12.
Al Sadd are looking for a strong performance in the tough tournament as they look to bounce back from a trophy-less season.