Al Sadd brace for tougher Kobe test in Elite quarters

Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd head coach Roberto Mancini has warned his side face an even greater challenge against Japan’s Vissel Kobe in their AFC Champions League Elite quarter-final at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah as they look to build on their dramatic Round of 16 triumph.

“We have a tough match ahead of us, and it will be more difficult than facing Al Hilal,” Mancini said, underlining the scale of the task awaiting the Qatari champions.

His side are coming off an exhausting encounter that stretched to 120 minutes before sealing a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory, leaving recovery a key concern ahead of today’s clash. esporist.org

“We need to recover after the great effort the players made, but we are capable of performing better and achieving victory,” Mancini added.

The Italian also explained his decision not to rotate during the previous match, citing the team’s balance and cohesion as crucial in navigating the high-pressure contest.

Defender Romain Saiss echoed his coach’s warning, describing the quarter-final as a difficult assignment for both sides.

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“We played a strong match against Al Hilal and we are capable of continuing and achieving victory,” he said. “The Asian Championship is very important for the club and the fans, and we will give our best to reach the semi-finals.”

Standing in their way is a Vissel Kobe side arriving in Saudi Arabia in excellent form and close to full strength.

Head coach Michael Skibbe confirmed the return of several experienced players, providing a timely boost for the Japanese outfit.

“I’m very happy that nearly all the players are ready, especially experienced players who have played in Europe,” Skibbe said.

“They are leaders of our group and this is very important for us. Hopefully we will show that we are competitive against Al Sadd.”

The German, in his first season after replacing Takayuki Yoshida, is relishing the opportunity to test his team on the continental stage after missing out on the finals last year. He also acknowledged the strength of West Asian opposition, pointing to the pace, power and physicality that sides like Al Sadd bring.

Vissel Kobe, leaders in the J.League’s western conference, will be facing the Qatari side for the first time in the competition, setting up a compelling East versus West showdown with a semi-final place at stake.

جاءت بطولة كأس QSL في موسمها الجديد لتؤكد أن التطوير في أنظمة المسابقات ليس مجرد تغيير شكلي، بل خطوة حقيقية نحو صناعة الإثارة واكتشاف المواهب، وهو ما انعكس بوضوح على النسخة الحالية التي يمكن وصفها بأنها واحدة من أنجح نسخ البطولة على الإطلاق.
فالنظام الجديد للبطولة أضفى طابعًا مختلفًا من الحماس والتشويق، حيث فتح الباب أمام جميع الفرق لتقديم أفضل ما لديها، ومنح الفرصة كذلك لظهور فرق لم تكن مرشحة تقليديًا للمنافسة، وهو ما ساهم في كسر احتكار الأندية الكبرى للمشهد، وخلق حالة من التوازن والتكافؤ.
وفي خضم هذه الأجواء المثيرة، نجح الريان في كتابة فصل جديد في تاريخه، بعدما توج بلقب البطولة للمرة الأولى، في إنجاز يحمل الكثير من الدلالات، أبرزها عودة الفريق بقوة إلى منصات التتويج وقدرته على التعامل مع أصعب الظروف.
رحلة الريان نحو اللقب لم تكن سهلة، بل جاءت مليئة بالتحديات، خاصة في الدور نصف النهائي، حين وجد نفسه أمام اختبار صعب أمام أم صلال. ففي مباراة درامية بكل المقاييس، عاد الريان من بعيد في الوقت القاتل، ليحوّل تأخره إلى تعادل، قبل أن تحسم ركلات الترجيح واحدة من أغرب المواجهات، والتي امتدت إلى 35 ركلة، في رقم يعكس حجم الإثارة والندية التي شهدها اللقاء.
وعلى الجانب الآخر، كانت المفاجأة الأكبر في البطولة من نصيب معيذر، فريق الدرجة الثانية، الذي قدم مستويات لافتة واستثنائية، ليخطف الأضواء ويؤكد أن كرة القدم لا تعترف إلا بالعطاء داخل الملعب. فقد نجح معيذر في إقصاء العربي من نصف النهائي، في مباراة لا تقل إثارة عن سابقتها، حيث تقدم معيذر بنتيجة 3-2، قبل أن يعود العربي في الوقت القاتل، لتذهب المباراة إلى ركلات الترجيح التي ابتسمت لمعيذر، ليبلغ النهائي في إنجاز تاريخي.
ورغم خسارته في المباراة النهائية، إلا أن معيذر كان أحد أبرز نجوم البطولة بلا منازع، واستحق لقب “الحصان الأسود”، بعدما كشف عن عناصر مميزة وقدرات تنافسية عالية، تؤكد أن الفريق يمتلك قاعدة يمكن البناء عليها مستقبلًا.
أما المباراة النهائية، فقد حسمها الريان بخبرته، ليترجم تفوقه إلى لقب طال انتظاره، ويؤكد أن التجارب الصعبة التي مر بها خلال مشواره في البطولة صقلت شخصيته ومنحته الأفضلية في اللحظة الحاسمة.في المجمل، أثبتت بطولة كأس QSL بنظامها الجديد أنها تجربة ناجحة بكل المقاييس، حيث جمعت بين الإثارة، وظهور مفاجآت، وإبراز مواهب جديدة، إلى جانب إعادة بعض الأندية إلى الواجهة. وهي مؤشرات إيجابية تصب في مصلحة كرة القدم القطرية، وتؤكد أن الاستمرار في تطوير المسابقات سيقود إلى مزيد من التقدم والنجاح في المستقبل.

Doha, Qatar: The Organizing Committee of 4th GCC Games – Doha 2026 staged the official draw ceremony for the team sports competitions on Thursday via advanced virtual communication technology. Held at Lusail Hall at the Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters, the event brought together heads of delegations from GCC nations and attracted strong media presence, reflecting the importance and prestige of the occasion.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Mohammed Issa Al-Fadala, Head of the Sports Committee, welcomed attendees and media representatives, emphasizing that the meeting forms part of ongoing preparations and close coordination to ensure competitions are delivered to the highest technical and organizational standards.

He highlighted that this step builds on continuous cooperation between the Organizing Committee and GCC Olympic Committees, strengthening readiness and contributing to an exceptional edition of the Games. Al Fadala added that sport remains a powerful bridge that fosters unity and solidarity among GCC nations, embodying shared values and the spirit of brotherhood and fair play. He expressed confidence that the draw would pave the way for exciting and highly competitive matches during the Games, scheduled to take place in Doha from May 11 to 22, 2026.

The handball draw was conducted by Mr. Hamad Misfer Al Nuaimi, Handball Competition Manager, in accordance with international regulations, with participation from Qatar (host nation), Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the volleyball draw was carried out by Mr. Yousef Kano, Volleyball Competition Manager, alongside former players Saeed Al Hatmi and Ali Ishaq, also following international rules, with all six GCC national teams taking part.

The fourth edition of the Games, taking place from May 11 to 22, will feature the participation of elite athletes from the GCC countries, who will compete in 19 sports, including handball, table tennis, athletics, squash, padel, fencing, boxing, taekwondo, karate, swimming, billiards and snooker, basketball (5x5), basketball (3x3), shooting, archery, volleyball, equestrian, and bowling.

The competitions will be hosted across 10 venues, including Aspire Dome, Qatar Sports Club, Khalifa International Tennis, Squash and Badminton Complex, Lusail Shooting Range, Al Gharafa Sports Club, and other leading sports facilities.

Historically, the inaugural GCC Games were held in Manama, Bahrain, from October 11 to 22, 2011, featuring six nations and around 1,500 athletes competing in 11 sports, with Qatar finishing third (7 gold, 11 silver, 2 bronze). The second edition took place in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, from October 12 to 26, 2015, with five participating nations and nearly 1,500 athletes across 15 sports, where Qatar again secured third place with 59 medals (21 gold, 22 silver, 16 bronze). The third edition was hosted by Kuwait City, Kuwait, from May 16 to 31, 2022, with six nations and over 1,500 athletes competing in 16 sports; Qatar finished fifth with a total of 52 medals (16 gold, 21 silver, 15 bronze).

Barcelona: Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Wednesday from the Barcelona Open because of a wrist injury that troubled him in his first-round match, potentially casting doubt over his Roland Garros defence.

"I won't be able to continue in the tournament," Alcaraz told reporters a day after his win over Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.

"I felt my wrist give out on a return during the match. After the tests, we saw that it's a more serious injury than any of us expected, and I have to listen to my body so it doesn't affect me in the future."

It is the second time in three years injury has forced Alcaraz to withdraw from the Barcelona tournament. He won it 2022 and 2023, and finished runner-up to Holger Rune 12 months ago.

Alcaraz had been scheduled to face Tomas Machac on Thursday for a place in the quarter-finals.

"I have to go home to start my recovery as soon as possible with my team, the doctors, and the physical therapist, and get - or try to get - as healthy as possible as soon as possible for the tournaments I have coming up," the Spaniard said.

"I hope you'll be able to see me on the court again as soon as possible."

Alcaraz lost his world number one ranking this week following his defeat by Jannik Sinner in the Monte Carlo Masters final on Sunday. He would have had a chance to regain it by winning the title in Barcelona.