DOHA: Al Sadd coach Roberto Mancini said his side had much to reflect on after securing qualification for the next round of the AFC Champions League, admitting the team had been close to elimination earlier in the tournament.
“Yes, we qualified and we are happy,” Mancini told a press conference after Al Sadd progressed despite a loss to Al Ittihad. “Two months ago, the team was almost out of the tournament. Now we have qualified and we need to reassess our situation and prepare for what is to come.”
Al Sadd were beaten in a demanding match by the Saudi side, but Mancini said the bigger picture mattered more.“We are happy to qualify for the next round, but we were not happy with the result in this tough match,” he said. “The team qualified despite all the difficulties, especially at the beginning of this edition. We faced a very strong opponent.”
Mancini also explained a key substitution during the match, saying it was made to adjust the team’s approach. “Giovanni’s substitution came as a result of changing the style of play during the game,” he said
.Looking ahead, the Italian coach acknowledged the growing strength of teams from Saudi Arabia in the competition.“Saudi clubs are currently the best in the AFC Champions League, and this is logical and natural,” he added.
