Shabab Alahli head coach, Gerard Zaragoza held the pre-match press conference heading to the match against Pakhtakor in the group stage of the AFC Champions League, accompanied by Carlos Eduardo.
He stated that the team will go into this game as if it were a final because a loss here will mean elimination, while a win could vastly improve the chances of progression.
The coach pointed out that each game has its own circumstances. He admitted that Pakhtakor are a good team and are difficult to face, and have a good squad and a good manager.
“This is a final by all measures, everything is on the line here, but we do have experienced players who love participating in finals such as Carlos Eduardo” said Zaragosa.
He added: “This game has a lot in common with our previous two matches against Shahr Khodro FC, where both teams have similar physical attributes, but I believe Pakhtakor are stronger in that regard. So, defence will play a huge role.”
Carlos Eduardo who accompanied the coach in the press conference said: “I did my best to be fully fit and ready for the next two matches to help my team in qualifying to the next stage”.