Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins spoke to the media ahead of their 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League match against Al Shamal postponed from Week 13.

“Preparations were as usual. The team was coming from a match during which it did not succeed in achieving the required result by wasting two important points, but since the first session after the match with Umm Salal they had closed that page and great focus was placed on preparing for the Al Markhiya match. However, everyone is required to continue working with great effort and increase the technical level day after day so that everyone is ready for this match. I see this as important and a final for the two teams, and everyone must only look for victory in this match. The level of competition is very high, the most important thing is in the current period. It is not only to play well, but the most important thing is to win the three points.

“I expect Al Markhiya to give everything they have and they will fight to win, as will Al Gharafa. There are only three matches left until the end of the competition and it is certain that any team that wastes any point will not be able to make up for it in the upcoming matches.

“Seifeldin Hassan and Abdullah Yousef, who are with the Under-23 team, and Homam Al Ameen will be absent from the match against Al Markhiya, in addition to the suspension of Ferjani Sassi and Sano, and we will see the team’s situation with the last training session. I do not complain about the large number of absences and this is a reality that we have to deal with, and it forces us to fight in the remaining matches to achieve victory with the remaining points,” said Martins.

Al Gharafa player Ayoub Al Alawi said, “Preparation is normal, as is preparation for any match in the league. The team will fight to win the three points.

“I believe that the Umm Salal match will be a positive turning point, as was the case in the Al Ahli match, which the team lost, but after that we came back strongly and achieved victory over Al Rayyan and Al Duhail.

“Certainly Al Markhiya are a strong team that needs the three points, as is the case for us, and therefore winning the match will not be easy, but we have to focus on our performance.

“I urge our fans to support us. It serves as a strong incentive and support for the players against Al Markhiya.”