Reports have revealed that doubts are surrounding the possibility of French coach Laurent Blanc remaining in his position at Ittihad if he falls into the trap of losing to Al-Nasr next Friday.

The talk about dismissing Blanc began after the away defeat to Al-Wahda of the UAE 1-2 in the first round of the elite AFC Champions League.

For their part, duo Mohammed Noor and Ahmed Hossam Mido predicted that the Ittihad management would decide to part ways with Blanc if they lose to Al-Nasr in the classic match.

Noor, a former star of Ittihad, said: “I expect coach Blanc to leave if the team loses to Al-Nasr in the Saudi league classic.”

Noor added: “I see no problem with Blanc leaving at this time, as Al-Hilal, for example, changes its coach despite leading the league, due to a lack of conviction that he will complete his tasks as hoped.”

Meanwhile, Mido, a former star of Zamalek, stated: “The decision to part ways with Blanc will be harsh, but it is likely due to significant pressure from the media because of poor performance, and I believe that the preparation for the new season has been weak.”