DOHA, Feb. — Al Sadd will host Iran’s Tractor on Tuesday in a crucial clash at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the seventh and penultimate round of the AFC Champions League group stage, with the Qatari side fighting to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Al Sadd come into the match after securing a hard-fought home victory over UAE side Shabab Al Ahli in the previous round and will be hoping to translate their strong domestic form into continental success against a Tractor team that sit second in the group and remain unbeaten in the current edition.
The match was originally scheduled to be played in Iran but was moved to Doha due to current circumstances.
Despite their recent local dominance, Al Sadd find themselves in a difficult position in the continental competition. They have collected just five points from six matches and sit 10th in the 12-team West Zone standings, leaving them outside the qualification places for the round of 16.
Tractor, by contrast, have already amassed 14 points and occupy second place in the group, putting them in a strong position ahead of the final two rounds.
Al Sadd have prepared well for the encounter, buoyed by an eight-match winning streak in domestic competition. The team’s performances have improved following the arrival of Italian coach Roberto Mancini, with players increasingly adapting to his tactical approach after an initial adjustment period.
Tuesday’s match will be officiated by Saudi referee Mohammed Al-Howaish, assisted by Khalaf Al-Shammari and Yasser Al-Sultan, with Abdullah Al-Shehri as fourth official. Sultan Al-Harbi will serve as VAR referee, assisted by Mamdouh Al-Shahdan.
