Lopetegui targets the 'Gulf Cup 27' title

Qatar national team coach, Spain’s Julen Lopetegui, stated that his team’s focus is on competing for the title of the “Gulf Cup 27,” emphasizing that the tournament is a goal in itself, not merely a preparatory stop before the upcoming Asian Cup.

Lopetegui addressed Bahrain’s recent dominance in head-to-head meetings between the two national teams, saying: “Qatar has won only once against Bahrain in recent encounters, but history remains in the past. We live in the present and want to change these statistics. They have a coach who is doing a good job, Croatian Dragan Talajić, and they possess quality and strength. We are aware of this, which is why we will give our best effort.”

He added: “The World Cup is now in the past, and we are starting a new story. We have not won the Gulf Cup for 12 years, and the first step will be against Bahrain.”