SPORT Wednesday 1 August 2018 PAGE | 17 PAGE | 18 Bale can fill the void More pressure left by Ronaldo, on England’s lone says Lopetegui spinner Rashid Al Rayyan eye aggressive approach against Al Duhail in season opener ARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA Qatar football giants vie for Sheikh Jassim Cup glory DOHA: New Al Rayyan coach We will try and forcerce Rodolfo Arruabarrena is planning an aggressive tactical Al Duhail to play thehe assault when his team takes on way we want themm to football giants Al Duhail in the play: Al Rayyan’s nnewew Sheikh Jassim Cup final at Al Sadd Stadium today. coach Arruabarrenana In today’s title clash, Arrua- barrena wants his team to take coaching staff and I have a slightslight the ‘upper hand and dominate advantage over Al Rayyan coachcoach proceedings from the kick off’ because I coached a Qatariri club,club, and push Al Duhail on the El Jaish, a few seasons backck anandd SHEIKHS JASSIM CUP defensive. I know the QSL clubs veryvery RECENT FINALS: “We try and force Al Duhail well,” he said. to play the way we want them Maaloul, who coachedhed (Year/Champions/Score/Runner(Yea up) to play,” Arruabarrena said yes- Tunisia at the FIFA Worldorld terday on the eve of the final. Cup in Russia, said his team’sm’s 2002 : Al Khor SC 1-0 Qatar SC The Argentinian has done performance in the Sheikhikh 2003 : Al Shabab 2-1 Al Wakrah SC his home work on his oppo- Jassim Cup final will set thethe 2004 : Al Wakrah SC 1-1 Qatar SC (3-1 pen) nents and is ready for the chal- tone for the rest of thehe 200520 : Al Gharafa SC 2-1 Al Ahli SC lenge in the season opener. season. 202006 : Al Sadd SC 2-0 Al Rayyan SC “As I was coaching for the “We know that thishis 202007 : Al Gharafa SC 4-2 Al Sailiya SC last two years in the Middle season opening match will East, I know most of the clubs helps us in our preparationon as 22008 : Al Arabi SC 3-0 Al Rayyan SC and players from the region. I we aim to retain the QSL title,” 2009 : Umm Salal SC 2-0 Al Khor SC know Al Duhail have a new Maaloul said yesterday. Al Duhail coach Nabil Maaloul (left) and Al Rayyan coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena speak during a press 2010 : Al Arabi SC 1-0 Lekhwiya SC coach this season and they had The Tunisian tactician said conference held at the Al Sadd Stadium yesterday. Pictures: Abdul Basit/The Peninsula 2011 : Al Arabi SC 3-2 Umm Salal excellent results last season,” he aims to carry forward the 2012 : Al Rayyan SC 1-0 Al Sadd said the Al Rayyan coach. coaching legacy of Djamel Al Duhail coach Nabil Bemladi, the outgoing coach of 2013 : Al Rayyan SC 2-0 Al Kharaitiyat Maaloul, who is in his second Al Duhail. Ambitious Al Rayyan seek 2014 : Al Sadd SC 3-2 Lekhwiya SC sting as coach of a QNB Stars “I will try to complete the 2015 : Lekhwiya SC 4 - 2 Al Sadd SC League (QSL) club, said his team journey of the previous coaching 2016 : Lekhwiya SC 2 - 0 Al Rayyan SC enjoys an advantage over his staff, which was very successful positive results on the pitch 2017 : Al Sadd SC 4 - 2 Al Duhail opponents. and helped Al Duhail to win “Both teams have new three championships last ARMSTRONG VAS season,” added Maaloul. the last few years and it has Al Duhail skipper Last season, Al Duhail won THE PENINSULA become a 24-hour job. Lucas Mendez the QSL title and went on to “A coach needs to be a win the Qatar Cup and Amir DOHA: Al Rayyan coach multi-tasking one. You need to I have a slight Cup. Rodolfo Arruabarrena yesterday watch out for the videos of your advantage over Al Al Duhail has also qualified said the players have been opponents and accordingly Rayyan coach because for the quarter-finals of the apprised of the club’s targets in analyze the opponents game to 2018 AFC Champions League the new season and one of them your team players,” Arrua- I coached a Qatari and will take on Iranian outfit is playing committed football barrena said. club, El Jaish, a few Perspolis on August 28 and Sep- on the pitch. “You also need to keep a tab seasons back and I tember 18 in the two-leg Arruabarrena said the pos- on what is happening with the know the QSL clubs encounters. itive results will certainly make rival teams. You need to know very well: Maaloul Today’s game starts at an impression on the minds of how the teams in your group are 7:00pm. the club fans. performing, so the coaching job “We have set our goals for is now a 24-hour job,” added the season. We have told our Arruabarrena, who spent most Mendez wants Al Duhail SHEIKH JASSIM CUP players what are our objectives of his playing career with Boca Al Duhail vs Al Rayyan and what we are expecting from Juniors. them,” Arruabarrena said He also played for Spain’s to continue dominant run Venue: Al Sadd Stadium yesterday. Villarreal, AEK Athens and CHINTHANA WASALA “We do not want to say we Tigreand Universidad Católic “We are taking on a strong Time: 7.00pm want to win the title, it is easy Arruabarrena, who took THE PENINSULA outfit and we know the strength to say that. We want our per- over from Danish great Michael of Al Rayyan. We also know formance on the football field Laudrup, said it is a fact that his DOHA: Qatar’s football giants Al their special performance and to do the talking for us. We have line-up has just two profes- Duhail will be hoping to get their the abilities of their key players. a winning group and I have trust sional players but said officials hands on the Sheikh Jassim Cup However, we would not be sat- in my players and have confi- of the club have spread the net when they take on Al Rayyan at isfied by anything other than the dence that they will deliver,” he wide enough to get more pro- the Al Sadd Stadium today. Sheikh Jassim Cup title this time added. fessional players to complete Al Duhail lost to Al Sadd in because we lost the same title He informed that during the the quota. last year’s encounter but later last season,” Mendez, who has 15-day pre-season training “Club officials are looking went on to clinch a trophy treble been competing in Qatar since period the team focused on the to bring in more professional to dominate the football scene 2014, added. tactical and fitness aspects. players, hopefully in the coming in Qatar. Al Duhail, under their new “We had a very short period weeks we will be able to fill the Brazilian defender Lucas Tunisian coach, Nabil Maaloul, to train but we had a fruitful spots,” Arruabarrena said. Mendez, while addressing a pre- will be hoping to fire on all cyl- training. We have been able to Al Rayyan player Abdul match press conference at the Al inders against the Abdulrahman explain the tactics to the players Rahman Al Karbi said that the Sadd Stadium yesterday, said Al Karbi-led Al Rayyan at the air- and what the coach wants and club did not win any title but Duhail are looking forward to conditioned state-of-the-art what the coach in turn expects came close to wining the Amir asserting early dominance but venue this evening. from them (players),” Arrua- Cup. are also aware of the threat that Winners of the Qatar League barrena said. “We lost in the final of the Al Rayyan could pose. title six times in the last few The Argentinian tactician, Amir Cup and did well in the “Our ambition is big. The years, Al Duhail are also going who spent the last two seasons QNB stars League finishing team has to continue the special great guns in the AFC Cham- coaching clubs in the UAE, said among the top four, while in the appearance this season and pions League, having reached some of the injured players are AFC Champions league, we had work hard to retain the titles we the knock-out stage unbeaten. expected to return to training mixed results,” Al Karbi said. won during the last season,” “Now we are in a new which will help to strike the “It has been a difficult Mendez, 28, said. season and we want to prove right balance ahead of the QNB period for the players and the “Our confrontation against Al our abilities. Wining the Sheikh Team officials display Al Duhail (left) and Al Rayyan jerseys during Star League (QSL). spectators, hopefully we have Rayyan will be a real test before Jassim Cup will be the perfect a press conference held in Doha ahead of the season-opening The former Boca Juniors a great season ahead,” he added. the beginning of the QNB Stars start,” the Red Knights’ captain Sheikh Jassim Cup match which kicks off at the Al Sadd Stadium trainer said the job profile of a The regular football season League (QSL),” Mendez added. said. at 7.00pm today. football coach has changed over starts on August 4. 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