English star Ivan Toni, the striker for the first football team of Al-Ahli Saudi Club, put an end to the ongoing speculations about his future, clearly revealing the real reasons that prompted him to reject all the tempting European offers he received during the last winter transfer window, preferring to stay within the fortress of “Al-Raqi”.

Decisive statements and loyalty to Al-Raqi

In a candid interview with the program "Our League is Different," the English international striker confirmed the reports circulating about the interest of prominent European clubs in acquiring his services and bringing him back from the Saudi League. Tony said, "Indeed, I received several European offers recently to leave Al-Ahli permanently, but I made my decision to reject them all." Tony attributed his decision to his burning desire and great ambition to make history with Al-Ahli, saying, "I have a strong desire to win championships and titles with Al-Ahli, and that is my main goal right now.".

A key pillar of the Yasle project

Ivan Toni is currently considered the most important element in German coach Matthias Jäsle's attacking system. Since joining the team from the English Premier League, Toni has proven to be the missing piece in Al-Ahli's lineup, with the coaching staff relying on him as an indispensable cornerstone. The player is delivering outstanding performances that have placed him at the forefront of the competitive scene, as he is a strong contender for the top scorer title in the Roshan Professional League this season, reflecting his rapid adaptation to the atmosphere in Saudi Arabia and his ability to make a difference.

Context of the event and its impact on the Saudi League

Ivan Toni's decision to stay underscores the qualitative leap Saudi sports are undergoing. The Roshan League is no longer just a stepping stone for stars, but a competitive destination where players strive for glory. Toni's refusal to return to Europe, at the peak of his career, sends a powerful message to the global sports community about the appeal of the Saudi sports project and the ability of clubs to retain their world-class talent.

A final setback and challenges ahead

On the field, Toni and his teammates are looking to bounce back from their recent setback, a goalless draw against Al-Wahda in the seventh round of the Roshan Professional League at Al-Inma Stadium. Al-Ahli fans are placing high hopes on their English star to lead the team back to winning ways and seriously compete for domestic and continental titles in the coming period.

The Saudi Arabian team continues its intensive and high-quality preparations in Italy, gearing up for the official competitions at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. This training camp is part of a comprehensive preparatory and technical program meticulously designed to ensure the athletes reach peak physical and mental readiness just days before the opening whistle of the highly anticipated, globally-seen competitions.

Quality preparations for Rakan Reda and Fayeq Abedi

As part of his training program, Saudi national cross-country skier Rakan Ali Reza is undergoing an intensive series of training sessions focused on enhancing endurance and improving physical fitness for long-distance runs. His schedule includes carefully planned recovery sessions to ensure a swift return to full fitness, all in preparation for his upcoming participation in the cross-country skiing competition scheduled for February 13th. He aims to deliver a performance that reflects the progress of Saudi sports.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian alpine skiing star Faiq Abdi continues his daily training on official competition trails. His preparation program includes rigorous technical drills to improve balance and speed, a comprehensive assessment of his equipment, and necessary recovery sessions. Abdi is gearing up for the alpine skiing competitions scheduled for February 14 and 16, with high hopes of achieving new personal bests.

Strengthening the Saudi presence in winter sports

This participation holds significant strategic importance, building upon the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's historic first appearance at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The continued Saudi presence at this global event underscores the commitment of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee to enhancing the Kingdom's participation in various sports, including winter sports, reflecting the remarkable progress witnessed in the sports sector under the unwavering support of the wise leadership.

Towards Trogina 2029 and Vision 2030

The importance of participating in “Milan-Cortina 2026” is not limited to the immediate competition, but represents a fundamental step in the long-term preparations for the Kingdom to host the Asian Winter Games in “Trogina” in Neom in 2029. These participations are an ideal opportunity to gain the necessary technical and administrative experience, and to build a base of professional athletes capable of representing the Kingdom in the best possible way in the upcoming events, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in enhancing quality of life and sports excellence.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan officially secured their qualification to the Round of 16 of the AFC Champions League for the 2025-2026 season, after achieving a valuable and exciting 2-1 victory over their Malaysian guests, Johor Darul Ta’zim, in the match that brought them together on Tuesday at Hiroshima City Stadium as part of the seventh round of the East Zone League.

Match details and turning point

The match saw a blistering start for the home side, as the visitors surprised Hiroshima with a very early goal from Marcus Guilherme in the third minute, putting the Japanese team under immediate pressure. However, the turning point came in the 16th minute when the referee showed a red card to Johor defender Jonathan Silva, forcing the Malaysian team to play the remainder of the match with ten men.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima took full advantage of their opponent's numerical disadvantage, with star player Akito Suzuki quickly leveling the score in the 18th minute via a penalty kick. The same player then returned to decide the match by scoring the second goal at the beginning of the second half, specifically in the 47th minute, giving his team the three points and a ticket to the next round.

The two teams' journey in the tournament

Hiroshima's path was not easy, as the team had a journey of fluctuating results, but it was enough to qualify. They started their campaign with a win over Melbourne City (2-0), a draw with Shanghai Port (1-1), and a loss to Ulsan (0-1), before regaining their balance with a win over Guangwon (1-0), a draw with Chengdu Rongcheng (1-1), and a win over Shanghai Shenhua (1-0).

In contrast, Johor Darul Ta’zim’s calculations became complicated after they started with a loss to Buriram United (1-2), a goalless draw with Machida Zelvia, and despite their resurgence with wins over Chengdu (2-0) and Shanghai Shenhua (3-1), they stumbled again with a loss to Melbourne City (0-2) and a draw with Shanghai Port (0-0), before today’s loss.

The tournament system and the road to Saudi Arabia

This edition of the AFC Champions League is particularly significant due to its new league-stage format, where each team plays eight matches. The top eight clubs from each zone (East and West) will advance to the Round of 16, scheduled for March 2026. All eyes will be on Saudi Arabia, which will host the final stages (quarter-finals, semi-finals, and final) in a centralized format in April 2026, adding significant incentive for the qualified clubs to compete for the continental title in its new format.

Decisive matches in the final round

Asian fans eagerly await the decisive eighth and final round on February 17th and 18th, where Sanfrecce Hiroshima will visit Seoul FC in South Korea, while Johor Darul Ta'zim will host Vissel Kobe in a last-ditch effort to improve their position. The round also features other notable matches, including Buriram United vs. Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Port vs. Ulsan Hyundai.