The technical director of the Qatari national team, Julen Lopetegui, sparked widespread controversy after his statements following the match of his team against Syria, which ended in a draw 1-1 in the second round of the group stage of the Arab Cup "Qatar 2025".
During the press conference held at Khalifa International Stadium, Lopetegui called on the Palestinian and Syrian teams to "adhere to the rules of fair play" in their upcoming match, expressing his fears that they might settle for a draw in the third round, which could affect Qatar's chances of qualifying.
Statements by Lopetegui
and said Lopetegui: "We must believe in fair play, and I trust that FIFA will be aware of what is happening on the field. We will play to win against Tunisia, then wait for the result of the Syria and Palestine match."
The Spanish coach added: "I hope FIFA will look into what happened in the Tunisia and Palestine match and apply the fair play rule."
His latest statements were understood by observers as a direct accusation against Tunisia for negligence in its match against Palestine, which caused a wave of ridicule from Tunisians on social media in Tunisia.
His comments on the canceled penalty
also discussed the penalty Lopetegui that was canceled for Qatar after an intervention from the VAR room, saying:
"I do not understand the video referee's decision. For the referee on the field, it was a clear penalty, and what the video referee did is incomprehensible."
The situation of the Tunisian team and their qualification possibilities in the Arab Cup
The Tunisian team finds itself in a complex situation after drawing (2-2) against Palestine, making their score only one point before the third round.
Despite this, the chances of the Carthage Eagles still stand, provided they win against Qatar. The scenarios are as follows:
Tunisia's win + Syria or Palestine win → Tunisia qualifies directly with 4 points.
Tunisia's win + draw between Syria and Palestine → Tunisia needs to win by at least a two-goal difference to guarantee qualification.
Tunisia's draw or defeat → Official elimination from the tournament.
