Italian Simone Inzaghi, the head coach of the Saudi team Al-Hilal, praised the performance of his players against Al-Shabab in the Riyadh derby, expressing his satisfaction with the team's display despite the numerical disadvantage and significant absences.

Inzaghi said in the press conference after the match that Al-Hilal played a good game, expressing his gratitude to the players for their efforts. He explained that the team suffered from a shortage in numbers, which led him to ask the available players to give their utmost sacrifice on the field.

The Al-Hilal coach pointed out that the technical staff is currently working on finding solutions to the defense line issues, noting the absence of some players like Hamad Al-Yami, who used to play as the right-back, which forced him to field Darsi in the second half as an alternative option.

Inzaghi explained that the match squad included only 14 players from the first team, with several youth players being called up. He emphasized the anticipation for the return of the injured players, namely Karim Benzema, Nasser Al-Dawsari, and Hassan Tambakti. He also clarified that the duo Nunez and Pablo Mari cannot be utilized as they are not on the list.

The Italian coach added that his team was required to maintain possession after taking the lead, but the pressure of playing three matches in nine days caused fatigue for some players. He also emphasized that the team performed well overall.

Inzaghi concluded his statements by emphasizing that the team faced difficulty at the beginning of the match in establishing control over the midfield, which prompted him to make a tactical adjustment to improve possession. He stressed that the constant goal is to enhance performance, expressing his pride in what the players are delivering.