Al-Shorta team is preparing to play its first match in the AFC Champions League for the elite 2025-2026 season against Qatari Al-Sadd today, Monday, at Al-Zawraa Stadium in the capital Baghdad, amidst difficult circumstances represented by several significant absences in its ranks.

The team will miss the services of Nigerian midfielder Abdulmajid Abu Bakr, who suffered a health setback that prevented him from being in the squad, which represents a major loss in the midfield area.

The Moroccan defender Mehdi Ashabi, a new addition to the team, will also be absent due to an injury that has deprived the coaching staff of benefiting from his experience in central defense. In addition, the team will miss the efforts of young defender Hassan Raed, who has also suffered an injury that keeps him out of today's match.

These absences present coach Moamen Suleiman with a difficult challenge in finding the right combination to compensate for the gaps in the midfield and defense, while the team is betting on the readiness of the remaining players and the support of their fans to achieve a strong start against Qatari Al-Sadd.