French star Kingsley Coman, who plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, made fiery statements full of challenge and confidence before the anticipated match that will bring his team together with traditional rival Al-Hilal, following the team’s recent stumble against Al-Qadisiyah.
Speaking to Channel 8, Koeman admitted that things within the team haven't been at their best recently, noting that the 2-1 loss to Al-Qadisiyah in the 14th round of the Roshan League was painful, but should serve as motivation to bounce back strongly. Koeman said, "Things aren't going well for us right now, so we desperately need to believe in ourselves and our ability to overcome this phase.".
The Riyadh derby... more than just three points
The upcoming match takes on exceptional importance, as the eyes of football fans both locally and globally turn to the Saudi capital to watch the "Riyadh Derby" between Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. This encounter is considered one of the strongest matches in the Middle East and Asia, given the rich history shared by the two clubs and the intense rivalry between them for domestic and continental titles.
In his post-match comments following Thursday's game, Koeman asserted, "I believe we will win the next match against Al-Hilal. We have some players returning from injury, which will strengthen the team." He added confidently, "We have a match in three days and consecutive games, and I believe we will definitely win. We just need to remain confident in our abilities.".
The battle for the top spot and the Roshan League standings
This match comes at a critical time for Al-Nassr, who are striving to close the gap and seriously compete for the league title. Al-Nassr enters the match in second place in the Roshan League standings with 31 points, four points behind league leaders Al-Qadisiyah. The game against Al-Hilal is a golden opportunity for "Al-Aalami" (the Global Club) to prove their competitiveness and appease their large fan base.
The match is scheduled to take place at the same stadium next Monday evening, as part of the fifteenth round of fixtures, with kickoff at 8:30 PM. Sports fans are anticipating a high-level tactical encounter, especially given the presence of a host of world-class stars on both teams, adding a global dimension to the Saudi Professional League.
