The German coach of Gamba Osaka and former assistant to Roger Schmidt at Benfica, Jens Wissing, confessed that he only felt sure of the victory over Al Nassr (1-0) after the referee’s final whistle, expressing his enormous satisfaction at winning the Asian Champions League 2 against a strong opponent.
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At the press conference that followed Saturday’s match, held in Riyadh, the German coach did not hide his joy. «We played against a great team and managed to win. What we did was a good job and this is a great day for us», he stated.
Asked about the moment he was sure of victory, Fising was clear: “It was in the 98th minute that I was sure we were the champions. Against such a strong team, the result could change at any moment, so the referee’s whistle was the most important moment for us.”
Wissing also made a point of praising the reception in Riyadh and the atmosphere experienced in the final. «Today, the atmosphere in the stadium was fantastic, the fans were excited and we felt very respected. Thank you everyone», he concluded.
Gamba Osaka became the first Japanese team to win this competition, which began in 2004 as the Asian Confederation Cup before being renamed Asian Champions 2 from last season.
Wissing, 38, was Roger Schmidt’s assistant between 2021 and 2024, having worked for one year at PSV and two at Benfica. When the head coach was fired by the Reds, the young coach became Thomas Letsch’s assistant at Red Bull Salzburg.
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