The Peninsula
Former Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Al Duhail have set up training camp in Porto Mayo, Portugal ahead of their AFC Champions League (ACL) Round of 16 clash against familiar opponents Al Sadd.
Al Duhail, whose reign as QSL champions was ended by Al Sadd last season, ended the campaign brightly by winning the Amir Cup with a 4-1 triumph in the final over their domestic rivals.
Al Duhail coach Rui Faria will be looking to get his squad fully prepared for the ACL showdown as well as the upcoming QSL season and the curtain raiser to the 2019-20 QSL season, Sheikh Jassim Cup on August 17 where the two rivals meet once again.
In the ACL quarter-finals, the winner of the all-Qatari contest will meet Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr or Al Wahda FSCC of the United Arab Emirates in the next stage with one out of the four teams making it to the semis.
Al Duhail advanced to the AFC Champions League knockout stage after finishing second behind Al Hilal SFC of Saudi Arabia in Group C.
Meanwhile, Al Sadd, under the watchful eyes of their new coach, Barca legend and former captain Xavi Hernandez, have also launched their preparations for the crunch tie as well as the new domestic season. Ahead of their ACL Round of 16 encounter, the Wolves will hold their overseas camp in Spain.
This year, Al Sadd have opted to hold the overseas camp in Girona, 100 kilometres away from Barcelona. The camp will be held from July 14-29 and will feature a number of friendly games that will help the team prepare for the upcoming AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie with Al Duhail in August.
Before travelling to Spain, the team will undergo physical examinations and other tests in Doha. This will help ensure the fitness and readiness of each player prior to selecting the squad for the camp.
Xavi will take over as the head coach of the first team, from the beginning of the 2019-20 season and it will be his first coaching job. The World Cup winning legend spent four years playing for Al Sadd, after joining the club from Barcelona in the summer of 2015.