He plans to repeat the scenario of the Traktor match in the 'Asian Champions'
Sharjah threatens Al Sadd with Cayo, Marega skills and Cosmin experience
Sharjah qualified for the group stage at the expense of Iran's Traktor. From the source
The football team of Sharjah Club will launch its campaign in the 21st edition of the AFC Champions League, with a heavy-caliber confrontation against its host Al-Sadd of Qatar at 10 pm today, at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium at Al-Sadd Club in Doha in the group stage, within the second group, which includes the Jordanian Al-Faisaly and Uzbek Nasaf teams, while the return match will be held in Sharjah on November 27.
Sharjah finished all its preparations for this big confrontation, as the team's players left for Doha with high morale and great determination to excel and return with the three points.
In this match, Sharjah will be looking to repeat the scenario of a big victory over Iran's Traktor 3-1 in the preliminary round, as this victory led them to qualify for the group stage.
In this confrontation, Sharjah is betting on its winning offensive cards represented by Brazilian Caio Lucas and his compatriot Luan Pereira, whose contract was finally renewed by the club until 2027, along with Guinean Osmane Camara, and new Malian striker Moussa Marega, former Al Hilal Saudi striker, whom Cosmin is counting on to make the difference in this match, which is his first official appearance with the team.
The King also relies in this match on the experience and sophistication of his coach Cosmin in dealing with this tournament, through his previous experiences with the teams he previously led, especially Saudi Al Hilal.
Sharjah's participation in this edition of the AFC Champions League comes as champions of the President's Cup last season, while Al Sadd participates in this edition as champions of the Qatari league last season.
Al Sadd have already won this tournament twice, the first in 1989 and the second in 2011, knowing that they were eliminated in the group stage of this tournament during the past two editions.
This time, which is the fifth time for him, Sharjah hopes to go far in this tournament, after having previously bid farewell to the tournament early, the last of which was when he bid farewell to the 2022 edition of the group stage, and reaching the quarter-finals in 2004 is his best achievement so far in the Asian Championship.
This match is also a special confrontation between Sharjah coach Roman Cosmin and Portuguese Al Sadd coach Brune Miguel, who took up his current position last July.
Sharjah currently occupies ninth place in the UAE Pro League standings with three points, having won in the first round against Ittihad Kalba 4-3, and lost to Al Wasl by three goals to one in the second round.
For his part, Bruno Miguel Pinheiro, the coach of Al Sadd, who took office last July, succeeding his Spanish compatriot Juanma Leo, who moved to be an assistant to Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, seeks to go far with Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League.
Historically, Sharjah and Al Sadd have officially faced off on one occasion, during the 1991 Gulf Club Champions League, and the match ended in a goalless draw.
According to the tournament system, the first-placed clubs in the 16 groups qualify for the round of 10, along with the top three second-placed clubs in West Asia and the same from East Asia.
Al Sadd includes a number of distinguished players, including Akram Afif, Hassan Al Haydos, Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah, Ecuadorian striker Gonzalo Plata, Colombian Mateus Uribe and Brazilian Paulo Ottavio.