Laurent Blanc couldn’t have asked for a tougher start to life as Al Rayyan manager as the Frenchman takes his side to Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium today to face QNB Stars League leaders Al Sadd.
Dubbed the Qatar Clasico, the Rayyan vs Sadd is a high-voltage clash, with loyal fans from both sides expecting nothing less than a victory from their teams. It doesn’t matter if 12 points separate both teams as they will start the match today on an equal footing.
Having said that, Blanc faces a humongous challenge against Al Sadd. Last season’s runners-up Al Rayyan are currently sixth with 13 points, while Sadd are unbeaten and are table toppers with 25 points. They are also on a high after winning the Amir Cup for a record 17th time on Friday.
Blanc, who has signed an 18-month contract, was aware of the difficult task he faces at Rayyan. “I came to Qatar because I love to develop myself and love new challenges. The task will not be easy, especially since I believe it is necessary to develop the performance of Al Rayyan, and this is my mission and that of my staff,” he said.
“I will work to develop the team’s performance as we did not have enough time to prepare for this match. But our technical staff and players will give everything we have to achieve a positive result in our first match. I know exactly how important this stage is for the fans who are waiting for better results. The match will not be easy and we know that very well,” added Blanc, who led Paris Saint-Germain to three French Ligue 1 title during his spell at the capital club from 2013-2016.
Interestingly, today’s match pits two World Cup winners on the touchline. Blanc, a former France defender, won the 1998 World Cup on home soil, while Al Sadd’s coach Xavi Hernandez lifted the title with Spain at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Coincidently, both have also played for La Liga giants Barcelona. While Blanc played at Barca for one season in 1997-98, Xavi made his senior debut at the Catalan club the next year. “The Al Sadd match will be difficult because they are the leaders. They have a coach who has a football philosophy as he played for many years with Barcelona,” the 55-year-old Blanc said.
Xavi, meanwhile, said Blanc’s arrival in Qatar will benefit the league. “I have not played against Blanc but I respect him a lot because he is a big name in the world of football. I welcome him to Qatar and QNB Stars League. It will be an honour for me to meet him again because he is a great player and coach,” the Spaniard said.
Having also played for Sadd in Qatar Clasico, Xavi knows the importance of the key clash. “This is a very important match and means a lot to us. It is also important in terms of competition for the league because the gap between us and Al Rayyan is 12 points. Our goal is to win, to continue the series of victories, and we have not lost any match so far. Therefore, it is an important game for us and also for the fans,” he said.
“We have to change the mentality after winning the Amir Cup because this is a different tournament. We have to forget what happened in the Amir Cup final and focus on this match because it will be very difficult and complicated. We want to compete and continue winning, and we are now in a good position in the league. Everyone is eager and we are ready to face Al Rayyan,” the former midfielder added.
In another match today, third-placed Al Ahli face Qatar SC, who are fifth in the table. Meanwhile, Al Kharaitiyat face Al Arabi with both teams in a precarious position. Kharaitiyat and Arabi are also the two bottom-placed teams (both on six points), but the latter are better placed on goal difference.
Al Sadd’s head coach Xavi Hernandez is all smiles at a press conference yesterday.
