The Portuguese coach Nuno Santos, of the Al-Ittihad team, emphasized the importance of the Jeddah derby against Al-Ahli, stating that it is a significant match by all standards. However, he noted that its preparation does not differ from any other match in the Roshen Saudi League.

During the press conference held at the Al-Ittihad Club, Kونسيساو explained that the team is suffering from the continuous pressure of matches, noting that the current schedule does not provide players with enough time for ideal tactical preparation.

The Portuguese coach added: "We play a match almost every three days, and we only have one training session where we focus on tactical aspects. Therefore, we need to adapt to the schedule in order to achieve the necessary balance. After the break, the situation will be better."

Regarding the match against Al-Ahly, Conceição explained that their opponent is one of the strongest teams defensively. He emphasized that he is focusing on improving the defensive performance of Al-Ittihad while not neglecting the importance of creating offensive opportunities, stating: "What matters most to me is reaching the opponents' goal; missing chances is part of the nature of the game."

The coach spoke about the recent match against Al-Khaleej, which ended in a difficult draw after Al-Ittihad made a late comeback, saying: "I don't like such scenarios, and we are working to avoid falling behind in results in the future by improving our performance in both defensive and offensive aspects."

Conceição concluded his remarks by responding to journalists' questions about the frequent changes in the lineup, emphasizing that he does not aim to create surprises. However, he noted that each match has its own specific circumstances regarding readiness and options, especially with Fabinho's absence and the impact of the foreign player participation system across different competitions.