Blanc Clarifies His Position on Union Injuries and Praises New Signings

French coach Laurent Blanc of Al-Ittihad Club confirmed that signing the Portuguese-born duo Roger Fernandes and Malian Mohamedou Doumbia will provide the team with a strong boost this current season in both offensive and defensive aspects.

Blanc explained in a press conference on Wednesday that the team does not require radical changes following the successes achieved last season, pointing out that winning the league and King’s Cup titles was the result of long-term work that needs more time to stabilize.

Regarding the departure of player Fawaz Al-Suqour, Blanc described him as an exceptional player, but the nature of football sometimes necessitates letting go of certain names to maintain technical balance within the team and meet the needs of different positions.

The French coach emphasized the need to strengthen defensive aspects alongside offensive ones, noting that scoring a high number of goals ensures victories, but at the same time, he believes that the defensive system requires more work.

Blanc spoke about the injury situation within the team, clarifying that goalkeeper Rajkovic and defender Hassan Kach are still undergoing treatment programs, while Karim Benzema's injury is not serious, although he does not know the exact date of his return, which is being monitored by the medical staff.

Blanc also refused to rush Hassan Kach's return from the injury he sustained while participating with the Saudi national team in the Gold Cup in the United States last June, preferring to give him enough time to fully regain his fitness.

The Al-Ittihad coach concluded his statements by asserting that the season is still in its early stages, noting that the significant victory over Al-Akhidood with a score of 5-2 in the first round reflects the team’s offensive strength, but he stressed the importance of balance before facing Al-Fateh next.