A Xavi-inspired Al Sadd side brushed aside reigning champions Al Rayyan 5-0 in the Qatar Clasico in the standout match of round ten.

The ex-Barcelona midfielder put in a captain’s performance for his side, notching an assist and curling in a fine free-kick as the Wolves scored four second-half goals to resign Al Rayyan to their second-straight Qatar Stars League defeat of the season.

The comprehensive loss will be a hard one to take for Rayyan head coach Michael Laudrup, who was taking part in his first ever Qatar Clasico. The former Swansea supremo will now have to use all of his managerial experience to lift his squad, who frankly looked bereft of ideas against the attacking force of Sadd.

Elsewhere, El Jaish’s lead at the top of the table was cut down to just one point as Sabri Lamouchi’s side suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of bitter rivals Lekhwiya 2-1.

Four-time QSL winners Lekhwiya looked the better outfit during the game, and fortune favoured the Red Knights thanks to two own goals from Jaish’s Brazilian defender Lucas Mendes.

Al Gharafa are the form team of the QSL so far this season, and gave their top four ambitions no harm with a impressive 2-0 win over Umm Salal. It was the Cheetah’s fifth-straight win of the season and they have been steadily improving under the guidance of Portuguese head coach Pedro Caixinha.

The result leaves Al Gharafa in fourth place, four points clear of Rayyan.

While in the relegation zone, Al Wakrah jumped out of bottom place with a 1-0 victory against Al Khor.

The Blue Waves have been steadily improving since Kais Yâakoubi joined the side a month ago. Wakrah have yet to taste defeat under the Tunisian tactician and will be targeting a big result against out of form Rayyan side in round eleven.