Shabab Al-Ahli needs to win against Qatari side Al-Sadd in the match that will take place this evening at 8:00 PM local time at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. This encounter is part of the sixth round of the West group in the AFC Champions League Elite. The Dubai-based team must secure a victory to accomplish their mission in the group stage and advance to the quarter-finals, without looking ahead to their upcoming matches against Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia in February. Currently, 'Franks of Dubai' hold fifth place with 10 points, tied with Saudi Al-Ahli who sit in fourth with the same points total. Shabab Al-Ahli's prospects of achieving the goal for which they traveled to Doha look strong, given Al-Sadd's poor results. The Qatari team sits second-to-last, just two points away, making their task of securing one of the eight qualifying tickets for the next round extremely difficult. Al-Sadd's first continental match under the famous Italian manager, Roberto Mancini, ended in a 1-3 loss to Al-Wahda in the previous round, a defeat that has complicated the Qatari team's calculations significantly. The match between Shabab Al-Ahli and Al-Sadd will be the first continental encounter for both teams in 11 years, when they faced each other in the same competition, ending in a 1-1 draw and a 1-2 loss for Dubai in Doha. 'Franks of Dubai' have completed their preparations for the match against Al-Sadd with all players ready, with the exception of the absence of Iranian striker Sardar Azmoun. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Hamad Al-Maqbali, who was one of the stars of the Arab Cup in his first international experience with the national team, has returned, along with Yahya Al-Ghassani, who is waiting for a real opportunity with 'Franks of Dubai' despite his excellent performances with the national team in World Cup qualifiers and the Arab Nations Cup. Shabab Al-Ahli's coach, Paulo Bento, appeared confident before the match against Al-Sadd. At the press conference, he confirmed that his team is at its peak technical readiness, despite the local league's suspension for the national team's participation in the Arab Cup. He told the press: "We have a difficult match against Al-Sadd, and both teams will strive hard to win, as it is an important option for the course of both teams in the tournament, which will make the match difficult for both parties".
Quote: "We have a difficult match against Al-Sadd, and both teams will strive hard to win, as it is an important option for the course of both teams in the tournament, which will make the match difficult for both parties".
