Rafinha a strong addition: Arabi coach ahead of Sailiya clash

Qatar Stars League leaders Al Arabi boosted their title credentials when they signed Brazilian midfielder Rafinha Alcantara on Saturday, which will add a spring to their step when they take on Al Sailiya at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. Arabi, who won their first four matches, were brought down to earth as Al Duhail outclassed them 3-0 last week. The Dream Team still hold the advantage, leading Al Wakrah by one point.
Coach Younes Ali was confident his players will recover from their loss to Duhail. “A difficult game against strong opponents. Al Sailiya are one of the teams that we have difficulty in facing. Regardless of their recent results, the team has good players and they are tactically committed. So a difficult match awaits us. We have put behind the loss to Al Duhail. We are waiting for the players to have a strong reaction on the field in our bid to get back to the winning path,” he said yesterday.
Rafinha, who has played for European giants Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, might make his debut for Arabi. “Rafinha (Alcantara) is a great name and will undoubtedly be a strong addition to the Qatar league and to Al Arabi club,” said Ali.
Sailiya, meanwhile, are 11th with just three points and have lost four of their last five matches. “We suffered consecutive losses although our level wasn’t bad. We made some mistakes in positioning, defence, getting possession of the ball from the opponents and taking advantage of the opportunities,” said coach Sami Trabelsi. “We hope to make a turnaround with the Arabi match.”
In today, other matches reigning champions Al Sadd take on Al Shamal at home, while Al Gharafa go up against Umm Salal at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Only a point separates Al Sadd and Al Shamal. Sadd, who beat Sailiya last week, are currently placed sixth with seven points, while Shamal are ranked eighth with six points.
“Every opponent has a speciality that makes the match difficult. Al Shamal are an organised side and that makes it difficult for everyone, so we must continue to provide our best to win. Winning is always a good thing, but when it is done in circumstances such as the one we were in after the Al Gharafa match, we tend to celebrate more,” Sadd coach Juanma Lillo said.
“I am completely satisfied with the improvement in our performance more than the results we obtained (seven points). I think that with the performance of the players we should get more points. The players are developing from one game to another and the next match against Al Shamal will require great work and more efforts to win,” the Spaniard added.
Meanwhile, Gharafa, currently fifth in the standings with eight points, will look to maintain their good run, while Umm Salal, 10th with five points, will also strive to score a win and improve their position in the league.
Both teams will therefore battle hard for the valuable three points, but it will not be easy. Both sides are keen to be back on the winning path after their drawn results in the last round, where Al Gharafa played out an exciting 3-3 draw with Al Ahli and Umm Salal had a goalless draw against Al Rayyan.
Andrea Stramaccioni, the Italian coach of Al Gharafa, will be in the stands having received a red card during their match against Al Ahli along with defender Islom Tukhtakhujaev, who was also sent off.