The Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição praised the significant role played by Al-Ittihad fans during the match against Al-Khaleej, confirming that the fan support was the decisive factor in the comeback despite the large deficit.

Conceição explained in his statements after the match that the team lacked fighting spirit for most of the match, stressing that the fans were the most important factor in igniting the players' enthusiasm after trailing 4-0 against Al-Khaleej.

The Al-Ittihad coach pointed out that the fans were the true stars of the match, as they attended in large numbers and supported the team without interruption, apologizing to them for not achieving victory despite the thrilling comeback.

Conceição expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee's decisions, confirming that the team has suffered from impactful refereeing errors for the second consecutive match, and he was surprised by the red card given to Fabinho, which he believes did not warrant a red card based on his view of the incident.

The coach revealed that he warned his players before the match about the strength of Al-Khaleej, stressing that he told them to enter the match with a high spirit similar to that of the match against Al-Nasr, but the team did not start with the same enthusiasm, which led to the struggles.

Conceição urged Al-Ittihad fans to forgive the players for their performance for a significant part of the match, thanking them for their support until the last moment and their belief in the team's ability to come back in the score.

The coach confirmed that he did not address tactical aspects during the halftime break, but focused his discussion on spirit and the desire to fight, urging the players to regain their strong character on the field.

It is noteworthy that the match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Khaleej ended in a 4-4 draw, in an exciting encounter during the seventh round of the Saudi Pro League, held at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam.