French coach Laurent Blanc admitted that playing against Al Hilal presented challenges, describing them as the best team in the Middle East following Al Ittihad’s 3-1 defeat in the Saudi Clasico. Blanc acknowledged that Al Hilal was a strong opponent with a good coach and a team that had maintained consistency for nearly a season. He mentioned that the early goals conceded by Al Ittihad made a significant impact on the outcome of the match, stating that Al Hilal aimed to secure an early victory and succeeded.
Blanc emphasized the need to recognize Al Hilal’s superiority, pointing out that they had proven themselves by defeating many teams in the Saudi league. He expressed his disappointment at the loss but accepted the reality of Al Hilal’s dominance. Blanc also discussed the lineup changes made for the match, including replacing certain players for defensive and physical reasons. He acknowledged that his team lacked aggression and needed to work on playing collectively as a unit to improve their performance.
In the post-match press conference, Blanc reflected on the differences between Al Ittihad and Al Hilal, stating that his team needed to improve and fight harder on the field. He admitted that Al Hilal had a cohesive team, while Al Ittihad was still in the early stages of working together as a group. Blanc stressed the importance of playing collectively and returning to the flow of the match, noting that his team had failed to do so in the game against Al Hilal. He congratulated Al Hilal on their victory and recognized the areas where Al Ittihad needed to focus on for improvement.
Blanc’s analysis of the match highlighted Al Hilal’s strength as a team and their ability to outperform other teams in the Saudi league. He acknowledged the challenges of playing against a top-tier opponent like Al Hilal and the importance of recognizing their superiority. Blanc also discussed the changes made to the team’s lineup and the need for improved aggression and collective play. Overall, Blanc’s post-match comments provided insight into the areas where Al Ittihad needed to work on to compete at the level of teams like Al Hilal in the future.
