Al Sadd attack and defend as
a team, with a high press applied if
they’re close to the opponent’s goal.
They prefer attacking, though – in their
first18 games of 2019-20 they were
by far the top scorers in the league
with 47, yet also had the fifth-worst
defence, conceding 28.
Experienced midfielders Gabi and
Marco Fabian have recently left the
club, but their replacement is more
than equipped to shoulder the
creative burden.
Santi Cazorla played his last game
for Villarreal inJuly after 334 games
and 57 goals across three spells at the
club where he began his career. His
final years at Arsenal were plagued by
injuries – after eight operations on his
ankle he contracted gangrene and was
even in danger of losing his leg – yet
his recovery has been remarkable. He
played 35 league matches in each of
his last two seasons, and in his final
campaign was directly involved inset to resume in September.
Domestically, Al Sadd progressed
to the semi-finals of the on-hold Emir
and Ooredoo Cups this year and
finished third in the league. Victory in
the Emir Cup will guarantee them a
place in the 2021 Champions League.
His reign hasn’t been without
its bumps, though. A run of three
defeats in October sparked concerns,
especially after he decided to rotate
his squad against Al Wakrah in the
Ooredoo Cup, resulting in a 5-1 loss.
Unsurprisingly, he favours a 4-3-3
formation, which occasionally becomes
a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 while defending.
His centre-backs adopt wide positions,
encouraging his full-backs further up
the field – much like Barcelona did
while he was at the club.
20 goals – more than any midfielder
in La Liga.
At the age of 35, he was one of the
best midfielders in Spain, and returned
to the national squad in 2019.
Selection for Euro 2020 is not out of
the question.
With so much still to give the
European game, the timing of his
decision to step down is questionable.
Speaking to Villarreal’s website,
Cazorla said: “I’ve had a great time, but
it’s time to end this stage of my career.
It’s a decision I’ve thought about a lot.
Every game I find it harder to give100
per cent and I had to be honest with
myself and the club.”
The midfielder has suffered more
than most during his career, and he’s
got the scars to prove it: his final ankle
operation required skin grafted from a
tattoo on his arm. He has earned the
right to ease his way into retirement
with a final generous payday in a
less demanding league.
Still, his career is far from over.
Cazorla and Xavi were team-mates
in Spain’s successful 2008 and 2012
European Championship squads, and
the prospect of them teaming up again
is an intriguing one. The new arrival will
likely pull the strings for Al Sadd’s
attack, while managing such a talent
will be a valuable experience for Xavi.
This time next year, he could find
himself in charge of several others
in the Nou Camp dugout.
Jared TinslayLegend...Cazorla left
Villarreal as the club’s
top-scoring midfielderPEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWSRecord-breaker...
Xavi played
a record 767
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