Saudi Gazette report
HONG KONG — Al Nassr head coach Jorge Jesus expressed confidence in his squad ahead of the Saudi Super Cup semi-final, revealing his ambition to win the tournament for a fourth time in his managerial career.
Speaking ahead of the clash against Al Ittihad, Jesus said: “This won’t be my first Super Cup. Hopefully, this will be my fourth win. Football in Saudi Arabia has developed significantly and I thank the leadership here for that. I’ve been at Al Nassr for a month, and we’ve done a lot of work already.”
The Portuguese tactician added: “I’ve had the chance to play in three Super Cups before and this is my fourth. The match won’t be easy, and we’re still working on implementing our ideas with the players.”
Addressing comparisons between his tenures at Al Hilal and Al Nassr, Jesus said, “I previously coached both Benfica and Sporting, so switching clubs isn’t new to me. My time at Al Hilal is in the past. I achieved everything there except the Asian title, I left right when we were aiming for it.”
He also cited Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence at Al Nassr as a key motivator: “Ronaldo was a big reason I accepted the challenge. It’s a new chapter now, and our goal is to compete seriously and win trophies.”
On squad selection, Jesus noted: “A coach always seeks the best eleven players. With 7–8 foreign players allowed on the pitch, chances for Saudi players are limited. Ayman Yahya, for example, played left back earlier this season — he’s among our options. Over time, we’ll find the best lineup.”
He confirmed that Al Nassr has reached the foreign player limit, adding that Abdullah Al Khaibari and Ali Al Hassan will anchor the midfield.
New signing João Félix also spoke at the press conference: “This will be my first official match, and I’m very excited to play in Saudi Arabia. We need two wins to lift the trophy, and we’re taking it one match at a time.”
Commenting on his adaptation, Félix added: “Football is a universal language. Top players always find chemistry quickly, and we’ve got a top-level coach. We’re working hard to make this a great season.”
