The Portuguese coach of Al-Fateh, Mr. Gomes, expressed his complete satisfaction with the technical and physical level shown by his team’s players during the strong match that brought them together with their counterpart Al-Qadisiyah, on Saturday evening, as part of the competitions of the twenty-first (21) round of the Saudi Professional League, which ended in a positive draw of one goal each.

Gomez's comments on tactical performance

In the press conference held after the final whistle, Gomez analyzed the course of the match, saying: "We performed very well against a team with great potential and high-level players, which made the match a real challenge for us. The players were at the peak of tactical discipline, and very organized both defensively in closing down spaces and offensively in exploiting available opportunities.".

Challenges of shortages and dependence on youth

The Portuguese coach addressed the challenges facing the team regarding the bench and absences, explaining: "In truth, we don't have many options in matches, so I work with the squad I have available. Despite this, I have complete faith in the current group, and our full focus is now on preparing for the upcoming period." Gomes also highlighted the club's strategy of relying on emerging talent, saying: "The team has a number of outstanding young players who represent the future of the club, and we select the appropriate lineup and players for each match based on its specific circumstances.".

Competition context of the Roshan League

This match comes at a time when the Saudi Roshan League is witnessing fierce competition in all positions of the standings, as mid-table teams like Al-Fateh seek to secure their positions and move away from danger zones, in light of the great development that Saudi football is witnessing and the attraction of international stars to clubs, which has increased the difficulty of the matches and raised the technical value of the league, and made every point a valuable gain.

Gomez and personal appreciation

Gomez concluded his remarks by responding to the praise he receives, saying: "Al-Fateh is a special group and always fights to bridge the technical gap with the big clubs and achieve the best possible results. I thank everyone for praising me and describing me as one of the top 5 coaches in the Saudi League currently, and this makes me happy, as hard work is always what distinguishes one person from another and makes the difference.".

The two teams' positions in the standings

It is worth noting that this draw raised Al-Fateh's points to (24), thus settling in tenth place in the Roshan League standings, a position the team seeks to improve in the coming rounds to ensure its presence in the safe zone, while Al-Qadisiyah continues its efforts to improve its position in the standings.

The technical staff of the Saudi national football team continued their intensive field visits, completing their program of visits to clubs in the Saudi Professional League. These accelerated steps are part of a comprehensive and early preparation strategy to ensure the "Green Falcons" are ready for their anticipated participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a strategic goal for Saudi football in the coming period.

The current leg of the field tour included visits to clubs in the Eastern Province, specifically Al-Ettifaq, Al-Qadisiyah, and Al-Khaleej. These visits are a continuation of the first phase approved by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, as part of a comprehensive technical action plan aimed primarily at enhancing technical integration and standardizing work methodologies and physical assessments between the national team management and the technical staff of the clubs.

The importance of coordination between the national team and clubs in light of the league's development

These visits take on added importance given the tremendous transformation of the Saudi Professional League, which now boasts a roster of world-class players. This significant development presents new challenges and unique opportunities for Saudi players, as daily exposure to international competition contributes to raising the technical and physical standards of international players. Therefore, the national team's coaching staff strives to ensure that the training load and competitive participation of local players align with the international standards required for the World Cup, and to avoid any conflict between club interests and national duty.

Focus on medical and physical aspects

During these visits, the assistant coaching staff thoroughly reviewed reports on the players nominated for national team selection. The monitoring extended beyond on-field performance to include a comprehensive assessment of physical conditioning, medical records, and recovery rates. Discussions also focused on mechanisms for future coordination to ensure that club training programs align with the national team's training camp requirements, guaranteeing that players reach peak fitness without succumbing to fatigue or muscle injuries.

Expectations for the 2026 World Cup

These moves are part of the national team's technical director's approved work methodology, which aims to raise the players' technical and physical readiness to the highest possible level. Through these early preparations, Saudi football seeks to strengthen its competitive presence in upcoming international tournaments and build upon past achievements. The Saudi sporting community aspires to a distinguished performance at the 2026 World Cup that goes beyond mere participation, especially after the Green Falcons' heroic showing in the previous edition.

It is worth mentioning that the visit program will continue during the coming period to include a number of other Roshan League clubs, with the aim of expanding the selection base and closely examining the progress of all players nominated to represent the nation in the upcoming global event.

Al-Khaleej's Greek coach, Giorgos Donis, expressed his deep dissatisfaction after his team's 1-1 draw against Al-Taawoun on Saturday evening in the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League. His comments at the post-match press conference highlighted two main issues plaguing the team: refereeing decisions and the immense pressure of the fixture congestion.

Donis began his remarks with a scathing critique of the refereeing, specifically regarding the calculation of stoppage time. He asked rhetorically, "My question to the referees is, why isn't stoppage time calculated fairly? We've been suffering from this in more than one match." This statement reflects a growing sense within Al-Khaleej's coaching staff that there is inconsistency in refereeing decisions, which could directly impact the team's results at this crucial stage of the league.

Regarding the team's performance, the Greek coach asserted that his team was the better side, especially in the first half, explaining: "We played a beautiful first half and missed many opportunities. We had chances that could have decided the match early on." This analysis reflects the disappointment of losing two valuable points that were within reach, had it not been for a lack of the final touch and focus in front of goal – a crucial factor in league matches that demand capitalizing on even half-chances.

In a related context, Donis opened a thorny issue concerning match scheduling and physical fatigue, stating: "It was a difficult period due to the large number of matches. No team in the world's leagues plays nine matches a month. This is exhausting and dangerous for the players, leads to injuries, and negatively impacts performance levels." This statement highlights the immense physical challenges facing Saudi clubs this season, as the relentless schedule of matches without sufficient recovery periods depletes players' energy and increases the rate of muscle injuries, negatively affecting the quality of their technical performance on the pitch.

These statements come at a time when the Saudi Professional League is witnessing fierce competition on all fronts, whether in the battle for the top spot or in the mid-table. Points lost in such matches have a significant impact on the final standings, which explains the intensity of coach Donis's statements and his concern about the effect of external factors and fatigue on Al-Khaleej's performance for the remainder of the season.