The Qatar Premier League is back in action as Al Sadd welcome old rivals Al Arabi Doha to their home stadium. Although Al Sadd held the trophy last year, the start of the new season has been quite rocky. Despite a narrow away victory over Qatar SC in the last round, the first two rounds of the tournament were characterized by a win and a loss, a slight decline. New coach Félix Sanchez still needs to feel his way in coaching the team, and the position of veteran Akhilim Afeef has yet to be determined, as the former top scorer and MVP of the Asian Cup is still without a goal.
The rivals, Doha Al Arabi, are not in the best of form either, with both of their league matches ending in draws. However, they have always been able to inspire a superb performance when Al-Assad are in the picture. Doha Al Arabi, runners-up in the 2022/23 season, have won three and drawn one of their last four matches against Essad. In this matchup, they are expected to turn the tables and bounce back with a blowout victory.
