The captain of the Serbian national team, Aleksandar Mitrović, spoke about the current situation in the Middle East.
Qatar suddenly became a target of bombardment as a consequence of the attack on Iran by the USA and Israel.
On March 1, Qatar temporarily suspended all sports competitions due to the closure of airspace. After nearly two weeks, the Qatari championship resumed.
Al Rayyan, for whom Aleksandar Mitrović has played since last summer, lost to Al Shahaniya with a score of 2-1, and the Serbian footballer recorded an assist.
„Doha is otherwise a very beautiful and peaceful place. That’s why it wasn’t pleasant to hear explosions, nor to listen to the news about what is happening. But you know, I am from Serbia and I have experience with that from my childhood. The most important thing is not to panic,“ Mitrović told „Flashscore“ and added:
„Of course, no one wants wars and we all hope that the situation will return to normal as soon as possible.“
The Serb stated that he and his family had support and „permission“ to leave Qatar.
„Everything stopped for a short while, but the people who care for us were constantly in contact. They informed us regularly and said they would support any decision we make. Of course, you have to think about it. I talked with my family and we decided to stay. Even if some explosions are heard here and there, it is mostly peaceful and the people here really take care of us. We are trying to live normally.“
The team did not train together for seven days.
„We couldn’t use the field. After a week, we had a few days of training, just to get back into a rhythm as much as possible. Fortunately, the break wasn’t long. We are entering the key part of the season, we are fighting for trophies and for a place among the top three teams in the league, so that break didn’t disrupt us too much. We want to finish the season in the right way.“
He believes that football in a time of such conflicts can play a role similar to during the coronavirus pandemic.
„Football is something that can bring people a bit of hope and peace, at least for a few hours. Now we are focused on our job and I hope that football can be a small escape for people who are afraid of the current situation. I hope that everything will pass soon and that everyone will return to normal life,“ said Aleksandar Mitrović.
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Source: Kurir; Photo: ATA Images