Jeddah: Al-Gharafa’s coach Pedro Martinez stressed his team’s desire to achieve a positive result when they face Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia tomorrow, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in the third round of the Western Region competitions of the AFC Champions League Elite Football League.
According to Qatar News Agency, in the pre-match press conference, Martinez stated, “We are ready to face Al-Ahli. We know their value and the capabilities of their players. We have put in place an appropriate plan to deal with this important match in order to achieve a satisfactory result.” He also highlighted that Al-Ahli is characterized by its collective performance, and he intends to focus on mitigating the threat posed by their key players in the midfield.
Al-Gharafa player Ayoub Al-Alawi expressed the team’s determination to deliver an impressive performance against Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia, conveying his strong confidence in his teammates. He remarked, “We are facing a very difficult match, and we must play with a balance between defense and attack.”
On the other side, Al-Ahli Saudi FC’s coach, Matthias Jaissle, conveyed his optimism that his team would perform as anticipated following their recent 1-1 draw with Al-Shabab in the Saudi league’s fifth round. “It’s not easy to play a match after a setback, but we will return to the field with great enthusiasm to face Al-Gharafa in front of our fans, who will be an additional motivation for us,” he stated. He expressed his disappointment with the draw against Al-Shabab and emphasized the need for a strong response from the players.
In other fixtures for the third round of the West Zone scheduled for tomorrow, Al-Wahda of the UAE will compete against Al-Duhail, Al-Shorta of Iraq will take on Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, and Sharjah of the UAE will face Tractor Sazi of Iran. The following day, Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE will confront Nasaf of Uzbekistan, and Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia will play against Al-Sadd.
Currently, Al Hilal leads the Western Region standings with 6 points from two matches. They are trailed by Al Ahli, Sharjah, Al Wahda, and Shabab Al Ahli, each with 4 points. Al Gharafa holds 3 points, while Al Sadd and Tractor each have 2 points. Al Duhail and Al Shorta have 1 point each, and Al Ittihad and Nasaf have yet to score any points.
Each team will participate in 8 matches during the league stage, with the top eight clubs from each region (East and West) advancing to the Round of 16. The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for March 2026, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final set to take place in Saudi Arabia in April.