The Algerian international, Houssem Aouar, a player for Al-Ittihad, confirmed that from the very first moment he arrived at the club, the ambitions were very clear.

Aouar said in statements to the league association: "Everyone wanted to win in all the tournaments we participate in, we won the league, and now we want to win the King's Cup because at Al-Ittihad there are very competitive players."

He spoke about the impact of Karim Benzema, the captain of Al-Ittihad, on the team: "Humbly, I don’t think we would have achieved what we did this season without Benzema's presence; his presence was extremely important."

He continued: "He is a true competitor and very demanding; Benzema pushed all the players to focus and take the season seriously. He always told us players not to give up, even in the last minutes he advised us against giving up and defeatism."

When asked about how to respond to critics, he replied: "It was a bit difficult at first, but the criticism faded as the performance improved; that's how football works."

He added: "When the team performs well, the fans start to support you, and as I often say; it is always a small minority that makes the most noise."

He concluded his statements: "I really felt that the majority of Al-Ittihad fans were behind me; this is what I felt every time I stepped onto the pitch, and this helped me have a great season."