Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição, head of Al-Ittihad Jeddah, highlighted the importance of the victory over Al-Shabab at this time, emphasizing that the road is still long with the semifinals and final ahead. He also noted that the upcoming break period will involve intensive work to improve many technical aspects.

During the press conference, Conceição explained that each match has different circumstances, noting that the preparation was exceptional. He added that the previous encounter did not go as planned, whether due to technical reasons related to the players or external factors that affected the team.

The coach pointed out that the overall performance cannot be attributed to a single line on the field, emphasizing that the team functions as a single unit, sharing responsibility for defensive mistakes and offensive aspects alike, just as was the case with Hassan Kadash's goal, which reflected a collective effort.

Conceição spoke about Houssem Aouar's condition, explaining that he felt a slight muscle strain and that his health status is reassuring. He also highlighted Aouar's important contribution before being substituted, as he took precautions to protect himself from worsening the injury.

The coach revealed details about Mahmoud Doumbia's injury, confirming that the player was receiving treatment during halftime but still requested a substitution due to severe pain in his groin muscle. The coach described it as a serious injury, but the team chose to secure the result and avoid taking any risks.

Regarding his decision to play with a three-man defense consisting of Kadesh, Fabinho, and Danilo, Conceição explained that this change was based on a well-thought-out strategy relying on the players' experience. This system helped create multiple scoring opportunities and effectively utilized the flanks due to the youth team's compactness in the center.