Alkass English
Al Rayyan head coach Vicente Moreno has expressed confidence in his team's preparations ahead of their highly anticipated Qatar Clasico clash against Al Sadd in Week 9 of the 2026-2027 Doha Bank Stars League.
With both sides eager to secure a crucial victory, Moreno acknowledged the significance of the encounter, describing it as an important fixture for the club, its supporters and everyone involved.
Moreno stressed that his players must deliver their best performance if they are to overcome their opponents, while expressing strong belief in the squad's ability to rise to the occasion.
“I know that this match against Al Sadd in Qatar Clasico is very important to our fans and us too, and we want to win. It’s a very important match for everyone, and we know that and we will try to give our best because we will need to give our best if we want to win,” Moreno said during the pre-match press conference.
The Al Rayyan coach also highlighted the dedication and commitment he has witnessed from his players in training, insisting that their daily work has strengthened his confidence ahead of the showdown.
“I’ve confidence in the players, I watch them every day how they train and I am sure that we will play a very good game,” he added.
Moreno further emphasised the importance of maintaining focus on their own performance rather than being distracted by the magnitude of the occasion.
“When you play these big matches, it's different. We only have to think of ourselves and we only have to think about giving the best, because in this way I trust that we’ll have the opportunity to win the match,” he said.
Meanwhile, Al Rayyan forward Roger Guedes echoed his coach's confidence, describing the encounter as a meeting between the two strongest teams in the competition and likening it to an early final.
“We all know this will be a major encounter. In my view, the two best teams in the tournament are facing each other, it’s essentially an ‘early final’,” Guedes said.
The Brazilian forward also underlined the positive atmosphere within the squad, revealing that the players are preparing thoroughly and have complete confidence in Moreno's leadership.
“We are preparing thoroughly, the whole squad is feeling confident and we also have complete faith in our coach, who instils that confidence in us every single day,” he added.
With pride, passion and valuable points at stake, the Qatar Clasico promises to be a major test for both sides. Al Rayyan will be looking to turn their confidence and preparations into a strong performance as they aim to secure victory over their arch-rivals.