Today, a press conference was held to introduce Baniyas' match against Khorfakkan, in the first leg of the first round of the ADIB Cup. The press conference was attended by the first football team's technical director, Mr. Ivaylo Petev, and player Youssoufou Niakaté. The conference included a detailed discussion of the team's preparations and ambitions for this tournament, in addition to an evaluation of the technical performance during the previous rounds of the season.

The Baniyas coach began his speech by emphasizing the importance of the upcoming match, noting that it represents a new beginning for the team in a tournament other than the league. He said:

"We are playing our first match in the ADIB Cup, and our goal is to continue playing well and translate our outstanding performance into positive results. We hope that luck will be on our side this time and that we achieve a result that reflects the players' efforts."

Petev added:

"We're facing Khorfakkan, a good team that has performed strongly in various competitions. Therefore, the match will be difficult, but we're ready for it. We don't suffer from any injuries or absences, except for the call-up of players Fahad Al Dhanhani and Mackenzie Hunt to the national team, and the rest of the squad is fully prepared."

The coach pointed out that the Sky Blues were not successful in the first and second rounds of the league, but stressed that work is continuing to overcome that start, saying:

"We didn't achieve the desired results in the first two matches, despite performing well at times, but now we're focused on this important tournament and entering it with a winning mentality. We're working as one family and striving to overcome this difficult stage and return to winning ways."

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Niakaté: United and capable of making a difference

For his part, striker Youssef Nyakaté expressed the players' aspirations for victory against Khorfakkan, explaining that the match represents only half the journey given the tournament's two-legged format. He said:

"We are fully aware that the first leg is only the first half, and the decisive match will be at home in Bani Yas. Our main goal is to win this match and put a foot in the next round."

Niakaté added:

"All the players are entering the match with high spirits and full readiness, and we are excited to put in a strong performance. It is true that we lost our first two league matches despite playing well, but what we lacked was harmony, especially since the group includes new players who have not played together for a long time."

He concluded:

"Today we are closer and more understanding, and this will be evident on the pitch. We are united and we know that we can perform better and achieve a positive result against Khorfakkan that will pave the way for us to qualify."