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IF THE intriguing race for title and fight to avoid relegation have set the stage for a thrilling climax to this season’s Qatar Stars League (QSL), which resumes on Saturday, then it received a further twist in tale after Lekhwiya striker Youssef El Arabi was ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
The Moroccan striker has been a revelation at Lekhwiya since joining from La Liga side Granada last summer and has scored consistently to take his team to the verge of a fifth league title, with three rounds yet to go. But Djamel Belmadi’s men should make do without the 30-year-old, who currently tops the scorers’ list in the league with 24 goals.
Lekhwiya are two points clear of Al Sadd on top of the standings and on Saturday meet fourth-placed El Jaish. Even though the Soldiers have been far from their best in the second phase, they are capable of upsetting Belmadi’s plans. The Algerian coach still has a strong frontline, comprising the likes of Youssef Msakni, Nam Tae-Hee and young Qatar international Almoez Ali, who all can finish off the job.
El Arabi should be ruing his luck as he had looked well on course to bag the top-scorer award, but Al Sadd’s Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah (21 goals), will now be eager to surpass him and take the Wolves to title. And Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira will like to see him again start firing on all cylinders right from this week’s big match against Al Rayyan.
The Lions, who still have a mathematical chance of winning the title, have been in fine form and had thrashed Al Wakrah in their last match. Moreover, having received a 0-5 thrashing at the hands of Sadd in the first phase, Michael Laudrup’s men will be eyeing a revenge.
Al Gharafa, who will play for the first time under Tunisian caretaker Habib Sadegh, are keen to finish ahead of fourth-placed Jaish, who are eight points above them, as it would ensure them a place at the Qatar Cup.
The battle for relegation has gone down to the wire with Wakrah, Muaither, Al Shahaniya and Al Khor fighting to beat the drop. Three teams will be directly relegated, with the 11th-placed side fighting it out with Second Division runners-up in a play-off for a place in next season’s QSL. The picture could become clearer this week.
