Vítor Pereira explodes: if we had beaten Abha the questions would be different, and Al-Ittihad are ready for the Al-Ain battle!
Explosive statements from the German manager
Jens Wissing didn't shy away from the criticism. Al-Ittihad's German technical director waded straight into the row over his side's draw with Abha, admitting his frustration at dropping two points but insisting a win would have changed the entire tone of the questions aimed at him. All of this comes ahead of the eagerly awaited meeting with the UAE's Al-Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Al-Ittihad face Al-Ain tomorrow, Monday, in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite.
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Speaking at the press conference, Wissing turned his attention to the Asian clash and billed it as a tough test against opponents with real quality. His side, he said, want to show their character and produce a result that reflects just how far they have come in recent weeks.
On the criticism over his rotation following the Abha draw, the German coach said: "Rotating players is not about me giving a frank answer, my job is to take the best decision. I am not happy at dropping two points, and Abha knew how to defend, and had we won the questions would have changed."
He continued: "In the last match there were two chances for the opposing team, and had we been able to convert the chances everything would have been different, and I cannot give frank answers on the matter of rotation because it is based on several aspects."
Turning to Al-Ain, Wissing added: "A match we look forward to in the AFC Champions League against a strong team. We want to show our character and we are ready for the clash. We have one final training session to prepare and we will be in full readiness." He left no doubt about his faith in his players to deliver on the continental stage.
The Al-Ittihad coach went on: "Al-Ain are a strong and wonderful team, and we too have all the elements and capabilities. We are in a stage of development and have reached a good stage, but the journey is still long. We have a goal and an ambition we want to achieve, and the players know what I want from them." His words pointed to an ambition to keep building on what the team has shown so far.
Pressed again on his attacking options and how he shares minutes among the forwards, Wissing explained: "I have been asked more than once about the players, specifically the forwards. You saw the performance of the duo, we have George and Youssef, and Saleh also has an impact in the dressing room."
He concluded: "The team spirit is wonderful, and every forward supports the other, and my role as a coach is to distribute the loads. We have played 17 matches so far and one player cannot play all of these clashes, and we have data and circumstances we measure against."
