Jorge Jesus, the Portuguese coach of Al Nassr, emphasized the importance of the 3-1 victory over Al Fayha, coached by Pedro Emanuel, noting that he had anticipated a physical decline from the opponent in the second half of the match, which was part of the 24th round of the Saudi league. In the press conference after the game, the Portuguese coach considered the win crucial in the title race. "It was an important victory. The game was difficult, as I warned the players beforehand. In the second half, we made things easier for ourselves and managed to turn the result around," he stated, clarifying the situation regarding Cristiano Ronaldo, who was substituted during the match due to physical complaints. Jorge Jesus denied that the national team captain suffered any injury: "He felt muscle fatigue. After we made it 2-1, I didn't want to take any risks and substituted him. The medical department will assess his condition, but what he felt was just muscle fatigue." Jesus expressed disbelief at how his team found themselves at a disadvantage. "There is no team in the world that takes the lead without making a single shot, as Al Fayha did in the first half, but it happened. We managed to correct things in the second half and we have to continue this battle for the championship until the end," he remarked. The coach explained that his strategy was to exploit the opponent's fatigue. "I knew that Al Fayha would enter the second half with less physical capacity and wouldn't be able to keep up with us. That’s what we exploited in the best way," he revealed, justifying his tactical decisions: "As a coach, my job is to read the details of the game accurately and make the right substitutions at the right time. But that also requires having players who can decide the game and make a difference." Regarding the missed opportunities, including a penalty, Jorge Jesus downplayed the situation. "We created several opportunities. Sometimes scoring is difficult in football, and missing is also part of the game, like the penalty we missed. Great teams show their true value in their ability to convert opportunities into goals."
Jorge Jesus Al Nassr remains central to this story.
Jorge Jesus Al Nassr remains central to this story.
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