Al-Hilal's Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, emphasized the difficulty of the upcoming match against Al-Ettifaq, stressing that his team is fully prepared for this important encounter in the Saudi Professional League. This came during the press conference held on Thursday, ahead of the match scheduled for the 22nd round of the tournament.
In his remarks, Jesus expressed great respect for Al-Ettifaq, saying, “We are fully prepared to face Al-Ettifaq, and we know them well. They are a tough and tenacious opponent, and they have been performing at a high level this season.” The Portuguese coach pointed to the opponent’s strong recent record, adding, “The numbers speak for themselves; they have only lost two of their last 14 matches, which is evidence of their organizational strength and defensive solidity. We hope to deliver a great match worthy of both teams and entertaining for the fans.”.
The context of the match and its importance in the battle for the top spot
This match comes at a crucial juncture in the league, with Al-Hilal leading the standings with 50 points before the start of this round. They are striving to widen the gap with their closest rivals, Al-Nassr, and move closer to reclaiming the title. Any slip-up at this stage could set the competition back to square one, a fact well understood by Jesus and his players. Therefore, securing three points against Al-Ettifaq is of strategic importance to maintaining stability and continuing the team's impressive winning streak both domestically and continentally.
The agreement... a new ambition under Gerrard's leadership
On the other side, Al-Ettifaq enters the match with high morale under the leadership of English coach Steven Gerrard. The team currently sits sixth in the standings with 35 points and is looking to achieve a positive result against the league leaders to solidify its position in the top four and compete for a spot in next season's Asian Champions League. A victory against a team of Al-Hilal's caliber would not only grant the "Knights of Ad-Dahna" three valuable points but would also represent a tremendous morale boost for the team and confirm the progress of the club's sporting project. The match will also serve as a tactical test between two different coaching schools: the European and Latin American experience of Jesus and the personality of Gerrard, whose style is beginning to impose itself on the team.
Al-Hilal is scheduled to host Al-Ettifaq on Friday evening at 6:25 pm, in a match expected to draw a large crowd and be highly competitive on the field, given its importance to both sides in achieving their goals this season.
