Moroccan star Youssef En-Nesyri, striker for Al-Ittihad's first football team, made strong statements reflecting the high morale within the team ahead of their highly anticipated and crucial match against arch-rivals Al-Hilal. The two teams are preparing to face off in the Saudi Arabian football classic as part of the 23rd round of the Saudi Professional League, in a match to be held at the Kingdom Arena.

Speaking to the official broadcaster after the outstanding Asian performance, Youssef En-Nesyri said: "We finished the mission in Asia successfully with a resounding victory over Al Sadd of Qatar and securing the three important points. We are determined to continue working hard to improve even more in the coming period, and our goal is to continue the winning streak in all available competitions.".

Al-Nassiri added, turning his attention to the upcoming local challenge: "Another tough and big match awaits us for Al-Ittihad against Al-Hilal. We have completely closed the book on the Al-Sadd match, and our focus is now entirely on the next match, and our goal is to achieve the three points in the Clasico to make our fans happy.".

This statement comes at a time when Al-Ittihad Club is experiencing a period of technical recovery, as the team succeeded in achieving a resounding victory over its Qatari counterpart Al-Sadd with a score of four goals to one, within the matches of the AFC Champions League Elite Competition, which gave a huge morale boost to the players before returning to local competitions.

The importance of El Clásico and the context of the competition

The Al-Ittihad vs. Al-Hilal match holds exceptional importance, transcending the mere three-pointer; it represents the pinnacle of Saudi football and brings together the two giants of this historic rivalry. This encounter comes at a crucial juncture in the league, with Al-Ittihad striving to close the gap and solidify their position as a fierce title contender, while Al-Hilal aims to maintain their dominance and strengthen their lead.

Al-Ittihad fans are placing great hopes on their formidable attacking force, led by Youssef En-Nesyri and his teammates, to unlock Al-Hilal's defense at the Kingdom Arena. Historically, matches between the two teams are characterized by fierce competition, excitement, and a high number of goals, making them a highly anticipated fixture for football fans across the Arab world and the Middle East. A victory in this match would not only mean climbing the league table but would also represent a significant morale boost that could shift the balance of power in the final stretch of the season.

Al-Ittihad's professional player, Stefan Keller, expressed his overwhelming happiness with the outstanding level he displayed with his team in the strong match that brought them together with Al-Sadd of Qatar, which culminated in him scoring a wonderful goal and being chosen as the best player in the match, stressing that this achievement represents a great motivation for him in his career with "Al-Ameed".

Keller's statements after the night of victory

Speaking at the press conference held after the final whistle, Keller said: "I am very happy to have won the Man of the Match award. This recognition means a lot to me, but the most important thing now is to continue working hard and focusing on achieving positive results and making the Al-Ittihad fans happy in the upcoming matches.".

Keller had made his first mark in the Al-Ittihad jersey by scoring an influential goal during the match held on Tuesday evening, which ended with a resounding result of four goals to one in favor of Al-Ittihad, at the conclusion of the group stage competitions of the AFC Champions League Elite Championship.

The importance of winning and its continental impact

This resounding victory underscores Al-Ittihad's prestigious standing on the Asian football scene. The 4-1 win against a formidable opponent like Al-Sadd of Qatar, a powerhouse of Gulf and Asian football, sends a powerful message to all their knockout stage rivals: the "Tigers of Jeddah" are determined to go far in this edition of the tournament.

This match is of particular importance as it comes at the end of the group stage, giving the team a huge morale boost before entering the decisive rounds, as Al-Ittihad seeks to restore its continental glory and repeat its historic achievements in the Champions League, relying on a broad fan base and a star-studded squad.

A strong start for Keller with the Dean

On an individual level, this goal is the player's first for Al-Ittihad, an achievement with significant statistical and technical implications, especially considering that the Al-Sadd match was only his second appearance for the team. Keller's rapid integration into the Al-Ittihad system and his early goal-scoring with the club reflect the quality of the coach's selection and the player's ability to handle pressure in big matches.

The coaching staff and fans are counting heavily on Keller’s continued brilliance to be a key pillar in the team’s plans to compete for all local and continental titles this season, in light of the intense competition currently taking place in Saudi and Asian football.

Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição, manager of the Saudi Al-Ittihad football club, expressed his immense happiness and complete satisfaction with his team's performance and the resounding victory against Qatari side Al-Sadd. This decisive win came in the match between the two giants, part of the eighth and final round of the AFC Champions League group stage, held at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Conceição analyzed the game, saying: “It was a very important and well-deserved victory, and what pleased me most was how perfectly the players executed our strategy on the pitch. We secured three crucial points that strengthen our position, but now we've turned the page and are focused on the future.” The Portuguese coach emphasized the need for consistency, adding firmly: “This great victory will be meaningless if we don't improve in the coming period and maintain this upward trajectory in our performance.”.

Conceição continued his talk about the team’s identity and character, saying: “We are here to defend the Al-Ittihad logo and the value of this prestigious club,” noting that the team is proceeding with steady and deliberate steps during the current period, with the aim of continuing the series of victories and competing strongly in all local and continental competitions in which “Al-Ittihad” participates.

Al-Ittihad had thrashed their Qatari hosts Al-Sadd with a resounding 4-1 victory, confirming their readiness for the knockout stages. This win carries significant technical implications, as Al-Ittihad demonstrated clear tactical superiority and field dominance, reflecting the technical work of the coaching staff led by Conceição, especially given the intense competition in this edition of the tournament under its new name, the "Elite.".

This match holds special significance given Al-Ittihad's illustrious history in Asian competitions. The club is striving to reclaim its continental glory and replicate its historic achievement of reigning supreme in Asia for two consecutive years. This victory sends a strong message to its Round of 16 opponents: Al-Ittihad is determined to go far in this tournament, bolstered by the quality of its players and the stability of its coaching staff. This raises the expectations of Al-Ittihad fans, who eagerly await the return of the Asian Champions League trophy to the club's trophy cabinet.