Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, manager of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr club, expressed his team’s great ambitions to compete for the AFC Champions League title, ahead of their anticipated match against Turkmenistan’s Arkadağ club at the start of the two teams’ journey in the round of 16 of the newly established continental tournament.
In the pre-match press conference, Jesus emphasized that his team's primary objective was to reach the final and compete strongly for the title. He said, "We want to reach the final of this tournament, and we are confident in our ability to win it." He added that the team was highly focused on achieving a positive result in the first leg, which would be crucial for continuing their successful run in this important competition, a new challenge for Asian clubs.
The context of the tournament and its importance to victory
These statements come as Al-Nassr participates in the inaugural edition of the "AFC Champions League 2," recently established by the Asian Football Confederation as the second club competition in the continent, following the AFC Champions League. This structural change in Asian competitions offers clubs like Al-Nassr the opportunity to add a historic continental title to their trophy cabinet, especially since winning the inaugural edition carries special symbolic significance.
Al-Nassr's ambition reflects the overall state of Saudi football, which has witnessed massive investments to attract international stars with the aim of raising the level of competition both domestically and continentally. Winning a continental title is no longer just a sporting objective, but has become part of a broader strategy to enhance the Saudi league's standing as one of the major leagues on the global stage.
Expected impact and upcoming challenges
Al-Nassr's success in this tournament will not only benefit the club but will also enhance the reputation of Saudi football in general, confirming the depth and strength of its clubs, which are capable of competing in various continental championships. Domestically, the title will provide a tremendous morale boost for the team and its fans, and will be a culmination of the great efforts made by the management in building a strong squad. Internationally, winning a continental championship will contribute to solidifying the club's brand and attracting more global media and fan attention.
Al-Nassr prepares to face Arkadag this evening while leading the domestic league standings, giving them added confidence. However, Jesus and his team are aware that continental matches have a special character, and that relatively unknown teams like Arkadag can pose a significant challenge. This requires the players to approach the match with utmost seriousness and respect for their opponents in order to secure a comfortable victory that will make the return leg easier.
