Spanish coach Michel Gonzalez, manager of Al-Qadisiyah Club, confirmed his team’s complete readiness to compete in the upcoming matches of the Yelo First Division League, noting that the recent preparation period gave the team an exceptional advantage before entering the decisive phase of the season, which coincides with the holy month of Ramadan.
In statements published on the club’s official account, Mitchell said: “Our preparation period for the next match was longer compared to previous matches, and this gave us a better opportunity to prepare the players physically and give them an appropriate amount of rest and recovery, which was very important for their bodies, in addition to carrying out intensive training sessions on the technical and tactical sides.”.
The Spanish coach added: “We are fully prepared for our next match. Physically, we are in better shape than before. Technically and tactically, we are preparing to face a team that is good at counter-attacking and well-organized defensively. So we must be quick and dynamic with the ball, look for spaces to try and exploit, while at the same time being careful to control their counter-attacks. It will be a different and exciting match, and we are looking forward to it.”.
General context: Al-Qadisiyah and the ambition to return to the Roshan League
Al-Qadisiyah, one of the oldest clubs in the Eastern Province, is having an exceptional season in the Yellow Division. Following its acquisition by Saudi Aramco, ambitions have soared, with the primary goal now being a swift return to the Saudi Professional League. To achieve this, the management has made significant acquisitions of both foreign and domestic players, in addition to appointing a top-tier coaching staff led by Spaniard Michel, who boasts extensive experience coaching in major European leagues. The team currently sits atop the standings, making it the leading contender for one of the automatic promotion spots.
The importance of this stage and the challenges of playing during Ramadan
Every match at this stage of the season is of paramount importance, as any slip-up could jeopardize the team's progress towards achieving its goal. The challenges are compounded by playing matches during Ramadan, which demands extra effort from the coaching and medical staff to ensure the players maintain their physical and mental fitness.
Regarding this challenge, Mitchell explained: “I think the challenges are always in the first few days of Ramadan, especially with regard to adjusting to the timing and starting to fast. But we have been preparing for this for several days, and we have had many discussions with the players, the medical science team, and the medical staff to ensure that everything is balanced. We want to give them the opportunity to continue and perform at their best, so the first few days represent the biggest challenge. We are ready to deal with it, and all our preparations have been done in a way that allows us to continue performing at a very high level.”.
He concluded his remarks with a message to the players, saying: “I have already spoken with the players and explained to them that we are entering a period of change, but the most important thing for us is to maintain our focus, continue to work hard, and remain united as a team. I believe that we are capable of navigating this period in the best possible way and playing the remaining matches of the season strongly.”.
