QPR hoping for 'very popular' Saudi Super Cup game at Loftus Road

Al-Hilal celebrate winning the Saudi Super Cup at Loftus Road stadium in 2015. (AFP)

• London club to host showpiece game on Aug. 18
• 'We are ideally located for Saudi nationals who are in London for the month of August'

LONDON: English football club Queens Park Rangers hope staging the Saudi Super Cup match will deepen ties with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).
The club’s Loftus Road ground will host the match between Al-Hilal, the winners of the Saudi Pro League, and Al-Ittihad, the winners of the King’s Cup, on Aug. 18. It is the second time in four years the match will be staged at the stadium in West London, a result of a tie-up with sports marketing agency Sela Sport.
“We are definitely keen to develop our working relationship with Sela Sport and SAFF,” said Euan Inglis, QPR’s Commercial Director. “We have worked with Sela Sport previously, so we have built a good relationship.”
Sela Sport helped export the fixture to Loftus Road in 2015 and then to Craven Cottage in Fulham in 2016. It is now back in Shepherd’s Bush.
“Sela Sport make the decision on stadium venues ... with Loftus Road Stadium being located in West London, we are ideally located for Saudi nationals who are in London for the month of August,” said Inglis. “The event has been very popular previously and ticket sales are currently going very well. There is a mix of Saudi nationals visiting London during August and who are based in London full time. Providing a good venue and experience for our guests from Saudi Arabia is our only objective.”
The match will be the first competitive fixture for Al-Hilal under their new coach Jorge Jesus. He spent most of last month getting to know his players during a training camp in Austria and integrating new signings Alberto Botia and Andre Carrillo. The Portuguese coach has also been boosted by the return of Carlos Eduardo, the Brazilian who missed the second half of last season with a knee injury. The playmaker is now fully fit and was on target in a couple of the pre-season friendlies.
One man who will know all about Eduardo is former Al-Hilal coach Ramon Diaz. Sacked by the champions in February, he is now in charge of Al-Ittihad and he will be keen to put on a good show in the game against his former employers.
Diaz has been busy in the transfer market, signing Aleksandar Pesic, a Serbian international striker, and Australia World Cup defender Matthew Jurman. Saudi Arabia international Fahad Al-Muwallad is also back after spending the second half of last season on loan in Spain.
Al-Ittihad are keen to arrest a slide down the Saudi Pro League after finishing ninth last season.