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Al Shabab v Al Dhafra Pre-Match Press Conferences

Al Shabab coach Marcos Paqueta says that every game his side faces in the Etisalat Pro League, from now until the end of the season, will be treated as a ‘derby’ due to the importance of each and every fixture. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Al Shabab’s home game against Al Dhafra on Thursday evening, the Brazilian coach said: “All our remaining matches are derbies, and although we did not have sufficient time to prepare for this match, and some players are feeling the strain of having many matches in quick succession, we are determined to win and achieve the result we need to reach our target. I must stress that the League is not over yet, because the top teams all have very difficult games still to face.” Al Shabab will be without Sami Anbar, who was sent off in the last round against Ajman, but Paqueta is confident that his squad has more than enough strength and alternative options to cope with the absence. He also expressed his belief in the abilities of striker Edgar Da Silva, having had a long history with the player. “Edgar is a good player and has great potential. I chose him to come to Al Shabab because I have known him and his talent since he was in the Brazilian U17 team.”

 

Laurent Banide, meanwhile, insists that his Al Dhafra side will not play defensively as they visit the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium on Thursday. “If we go there to defend, that’s a very negative approach,” the French coach stated. “We’ll play aggressively, and I will try to control the rhythm of the team in order to give our best performance.” Banide praised the recent run of excellent form Thursday’s opponents Al Shabab have been in, and knows Al Dhafra will face a tough task to overcome them. “Al Shabab have great enthusiasm, mental strength and high spirits in the team, as was demonstrated by their comeback from being two goals down at Ajman in the last round,” he explained.