Alkass Digital
QNB Stars League (QSL) champions Al Duhail reached Seefeld, Austria yesterday to set up their overseas training camp as clubs continue to prepare for the 2023-24 season to begin on August 17.
While their rivals Al Sadd are preparing for the upcoming King Salman Club Cup (July 27 to August 12), the Red Knights coached by Hernan Crespo will continue to prepare in Austria till August 11.
The team’s training started on July 1, during which the technical staff focused on raising the fitness levels of players along with technical training.
Reigning Amir Cup champions Al Arabi also began training at their outdoor camp in the Spanish city of Girona as part of the arrangements made by the team for preparation ahead of the new season.
The technical staff, led by Qatari coach Younes Ali, also decided to play six friendly matches during the camp, the club announced.
Also, Umm Salal begin training at Izmit, Turkey where they will also be playing friendlies. They will return from until August 10. Umm Salal had launched the first stage of preparations in Doha on July 1, led by their French coach Patrice Carteron.
Al Ahli lost in a friendly to Hungarian team Haladas 2-3 in their second preparatory experience at the camp in Austria.
Al Ahli had defeated Austrian side SC Laa/Thaya by a 4-1 margin in their first match at the camp and as part of the five friendly matches they will be playing until August 6, before returning to Doha to complete the preparations.
In the second friendly at the camp, Al Gharafa lost to Hungarian team ETO FC Gyor 2-1 at their overseas preparation camp being held in Slovakia from July 18 to August 3.
The team is scheduled to meet in the third friendly with Apollon Limassol FC of Cyprus on July 27, while the last friendly will be played against the UAE’s Baniyas on July 30.
Also, at their overseas camp in Afyon, Turkey, Al Markhiya were to play a third friendly against Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir at Mako Stadium on July 23.
Al Markhiya have played two friendly matches so far. The first was against Turkish club Altay which they lost 1-2 and the second was against FK Olympic, one of the Uzbekistan Premier League clubs, which Al Markhiya lost 1-4.
Meanwhile, in the second friendly match of their overseas camp in Spain, which will continue until July 31, Al Wakrah lost 0-2 to Spanish team Las Palmas.
Al Wakrah had won the first friendly match against Spanish team Estepona 1-0, with the only goal of the match being scored by their Algerian striker Mohamed Benyettou in the first half. The team has two more friendlies left during the camp before returning to Doha as part of the program set by the team’s Spanish coach Marquez Lopez and his staff.
Elsewhere, Qatar SC defeated Spanish club Costa City 5-1 in a friendly played as part of their preparatory training camp in the Spanish city of Alicante. Qatar SC’s training camp in Alicante will last until July 29.