DOHA : Al-Gharafa coach Pedro Martins said his side are determined to respond positively after their recent defeat to Al Sadd as they prepare to face Al-Sailiya in the 15th round of the Doha Stars League.
The Portuguese coach admitted his disappointment with the loss but stressed that the team remained focused on the title race.
“After the recovery period, we began preparing for the match. All the players are in good condition and determined to give a positive response,” Martins told a pre-match news conference. “They are working hard to regain their physical fitness. The team is still in the competition and working hard to win the title.”
Martins also warned of the challenge posed by Al-Sailiya, praising their technical staff and urging maximum concentration.
“Al-Sailiya have a good coach who is doing an excellent job, and we must be at our highest level of focus,” he added.
Addressing the fans, Martins said the players could not be faulted for their effort against Al Sadd despite the result.
“Not everyone was happy after the last match, but everyone saw how we fought for every ball and gave everything,” he said. “I cannot blame the players. The only criticism is that we lacked focus in the first five minutes of the second half. After that, we played a very good match and tried to win.”
Al-Gharafa midfielder Rabah Bousafi echoed his coach’s comments, saying preparations for the Al-Sailiya match had been routine but intense.
“There is no easy match, and all clubs have good players,” Bousafi said. “Al-Sailiya are a good team with a strong defence, but our objective is to make up for the last result and take the three points.”
