With the Qatar World Cup in three years, another step has been taken on Thursday night: The Alirdd-Aliri Amir Cup 2019 will open the Al Wakrah Stadium, the first ever FIFA World Cup 2022 venue Follow the Amir Cup final from the brand new Wakrah Stadium via beIN CONNECT.
The late Zaha Hadid designed the arena with 40,000 seats, in a design that the organizers emphasize time and again, inspired by dhow boats and only by dhow boats. Leave the other ideas at the door.
On Thursday evening, Samuel Eto’o, Roberto Carlos and Cafu, along with numerous dignitaries, will be able to admire the architecture, coo about the show before the match and inevitably take pictures of elaborate fireworks.
The construction of the stadium is not only far from the schedule, but part of the brand new Doha Metro has already been completed and will be up and running during the game. This is probably the first real test of the World Cup facilities for Qatar, which now all come together before the 2022 tournament.
It is strange to think that preparation for the Amir Cup, which is largely considered the final of the national season in Qatar, was marked by sophisticated publicity about relocating the pitch in record time or selling 40,000 tickets within days.
Behind all the ceremony and understandable excitement is a match in which the end of career is considered one of the most famous midfielder of his generation. Xavi.
After four seasons with Al Sadd, the world champion and Barcelona legend will retire at the age of 39 and will most likely confirm his move to the Qatari national team coach next season.
It’s not surprising that Xavi had a cut above the hustle and bustle in the QSL and busily shuttled through the middle of the park to keep the ball perfect and spray the weird, precise pass. It’s a shame that Al Sadd, who has only been able to put together a real-quality squad for the past eighteen months, has added to his marquee.
With his compatriot Gabi, who was recruited by Atletico Madrid, the Asian Cup winner Akram Afif and his predatory instincts of Baghdad Bounjah Sadd now has a squad that can compete with the best on the continent in the AFC Champions League.
The presence of the metronomic midfielder has not only improved the quality of the league, but has also prompted a number of big names to choose Qatar for their last dice roll. Samuel Eto’o, Wesley Sneijder and Nigel de Jong have all traded QSL, which seems like a perfect setback to the ten-year challenge.
Out of the field, Xavi earned his coaching credentials and trained young players in the state-of-the-art Aspire Zone, a key component in the success of the 2019 Asian Cup of Nations national team.
It’s no secret that Xavi will be designing the job in Barcelona in the future, but for the moment it could be ideal if Sadd spreads his La Masia brand about desert football and sets his young family apart from the European glitter.
Apart from the brand new stadium and the resignation of Xavi, we have a match between the two best teams in Qatar. Al Sadd played in the league and scored 100 goals (including 39 from Algerian striker Bagdad Bounjah), full eight points ahead of Duhail.
The team nicknamed “Red Knight” (she has a soldier on a camel on the crest) is one of the most feared teams in Asia. Recently, she has coached Jose Mourinho’s former assistant, Rui Faria, as a coach alongside Moroccan international defender Mehdi Benatia as. They continued their primary goal of winning the AFC Champions League.
Nevertheless, Duhail will try to defeat Al Sadd after stuttering initially under the guidance of Faria, who is in his first full-time manager position.
Sadd will look for revenge after refusing to seal Xavi’s first QSL crown after a tense 2-2 draw in April, even though the Wolves managed to do the job the following week as they did Al Ahli overtook 7-2 to win a record fourteenth championship title.
A double in the national team could prove to Xavi as a suitable way out, which would say goodbye with a last cup of his active career.
No matter what happens with the fireworks or how the infrastructure works, and aside from the aesthetically pleasing stadium. On Thursday night, you will have one last chance to see one of the truly great midfielders of his generation. Do not miss the show.
