The 34-year-old Morocco international joined Al Sadd in the summer of 2023 from Turkey’s Besiktas.

Qatari club Al Sadd have included Romain Saiss in their 23-man-squad for the AFC Champions League match against Iran’s Esteghlal FC on Monday.

The Morocco captain has been named in Felix Sanchez’s squad for the first time this season. Since joining Turkish side Besiktas in July 2023, Sais has yet to make his debut in either the domestic league or continental competitions.

The 34-year-old was loaned out to Al Shabab immediately and returned earlier this summer after making 25 appearances for the Saudi Arabian club.

The French-born player will wear the number 29 shirt tomorrow, according to the club’s announcement.

With Saiss, the number of overseas players in Al Sadd’s ACL Elite squad now stands at nine, made possible due to the removal of the foreign player limit starting this season.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers player can play both as a central defender as well as a defensive midfielder, and captained the Moroccan side to a historic semi-final run at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

Since making his debut in 2012, Saiss has made 83 appearances for the Atlas Lions and has represented them in multiple FIFA World Cups and the African Cup of Nations.

Saiss’ inclusion will be a relief to Sanchez’s side, who are missing Algerian centre-back Abdessamed Bounacer due to an ankle injury.

Al Sadd will face Esteghlal tomorrow at home as the 2011 AFC Champions League winners look to register their first win at the continental stage, after drawing 1-1 against UAE’s Al Ain in their opening match.