Al Sailiya has yet to register a point in the QSL this season, and take on the reigning QSL champions Al Rayyan today evening at Al Ahli stadium. The Peregrines head coach Sami Trabelsi shared his thoughts on the game at the pre match press conference.
“The match will be difficult for us and Al Rayyan. Rayyan are a big team and are the QSL champions. However they are going through an uncertain period and have a new coach and we will be looking to take advantage of this situation” claimed Trabelsi.
Al Sailiya regrouped over the international break and Trabelsi believes this was a positive for his side. “We used the stoppage period well, played against good sides and improved our level going into this match. This stoppage was a good time to improve our situation.”
“We will be working as a team in this match. We focused on our team ethic during the break and I am expecting a big performance from our side” explained Trabelsi on Thursday morning at the pre match press conference.
The Peregrines could potentially be without Romanian international defender Dragos Grigore for the match, who suffered a nose injury whilst representing his country in a World Cup Qualifer match against Kazakhstan.
Trabelsi ended his conference on with a brief word on Abdulrahman al-Harazi, who moved to Al Rayyan on transfer deadline day. “I don’t like to answer about al-Harazi going to Al Rayyan, however we have played games without many of our key players. We have a young, good side and another young player will step up in our squad.”
Al Rayyan come into the clash on the back of managerial change, with Danish coach Michael Laudrup taking charge of the Lions.

Excited laudrup
The former Lekhwiya coached expressed his excitement to be returning to the QSL. “I have been in Doha for nine days. So I am looking forward to playing with the side, this first game of an intense program as we are playing eleven games in the league up until December.”
Laudrup also stressed that this tie will not be an easy one for his new side. “Sailiya are a team who has started with two defeats, that makes it difficult for us. It will be a tough game they are well organized but it’s important for Al Rayyan to start with a win.”
Al Rayyan will also welcome back players from international duty including one Laudrup worked with at Lekhwiya “It’s nice to work with Sebastian Soria again; he played with the national team along with Tabata. They seem fresh and are likely to play on Saturday.”
“As a new coach there are always changes in formation and we will be looking to get the best from my squad in this match. It’s important to adapt systems game to game even with the same players” explained Laudrup when asked about the use of his squad for the match against Al Sailiya.