QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail’s new signing Moroccan defender Medhi Benatia says is ambition is to win the Asian Champions League with his new club. Duhail oficially unveiled their new players Benatia and Japanese forward Shoya Nakajima on Tuesday. The 31-year-old Benatia has joined the Qatari side from Italian giants Juventus, while Nakajima left Portuguese club Portimonense. Duhail are looking to defend their league title and are also aiming for the 2019 AFC Champions League title and they believe Benatia and Nakajima will make them hard to beat. Duhail are second after 15 games, two points behind Al Sadd in the QNB Stars League. And Benatia is eager for his new club to return on top of the league and also mount a serious challenge for the Asian club title.
“My presence in Doha is the best for me and for my family and I want to achieve many goals with Al Duhail. I have played with big teams like Bayern, Roma, Juventus and I won with them a lot of championships, now I have different goals. The first is to win the AFC Champions League with Duhail and that’s what the club wants too,” he said.
Duhail’s acquisition of Portuguese manager Rui Faria – a long time assistant of Jose Mourinho – also played a key role in them roping in Benatia. “Duhail were successful in bringing in great coach Rui Faria and Nakajima. Their presence and the current players will make us strong a team in the AFC Champions League,” Benatia added.
The Morocco international won two Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia crowns during his time with Juventus. Prior to Juve, Benatia had spent the much of his career in Serie A, after beginning his career in France. After leaving Ligue 2 club Clermont in 2010, he signed with Udinese in Italy, spending three seasons with the side.
A move to the capital followed, and after a successful season that saw him start 32 games for a Roma side that finished second to Juventus in Serie A, Benatia joined Bayern Munich. He would win two Bundesliga titles and a DFB Pokal in his two seasons with the Bundesliga giants before his return to Italy with Juve.
Meanwhile, Nakajima was named last September’s Portuguese Primeira Liga player of the month following a run of outstanding performances with Portimonense, where he has primarily a left winger and attacking midfielder. After being left out of the squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Nakajima has emerged as one of Japan’s next generation of stars under new manager Hajime Moriyasu. A calf injury forced him to pull out of the squad for the just-concluded AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Nakajima said: “I had a good experience in Portugal and I think was successful there. But now I want to do well with Duhail. I got a special reception by the team’s management and from the players when in landed in Doha. Now I will work hard to bring glory to Duhail,” he said.
Head coach Rui Faria was pleased with the club’s two signings. “I am very happy that Benatia and Nakajima have joined Duhai. I think they will be a big addition to the club and I wish them well here,” he said.
QNB Stars League champions Al Duhail’s new signings Medhi Benatia (centre) and Japanese forward Shoya Nakajima (left) with club’s vice president Khalifa Khamis at their unveiling on Tuesday.
