Al-Ittihad coach calls for urgent corrections after heavy defeat to Al-Ain

Al-Ittihad head coach Jens Wissing has accepted responsibility for his team's 4-1 defeat to Al-Ain of the UAE, noting that fatigue affected the players' readiness and that the team did not perform as expected mentally, physically, or technically.

Speaking at the post-match press conference held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, following the fourth round of the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League Elite, Wissing said Al-Ittihad failed to capitalize on their good start in both halves, while Al-Ain made the most of their opportunities.

Wissing acknowledged Al-Ain's strong performance, crediting their experience and capabilities, and admitted that Al-Ittihad made unforced errors that led to conceding goals. He stressed that the loss was not due to tactics or team selection, but rather mistakes that must be addressed ahead of upcoming fixtures.

The coach added that fatigue limited his players' ability to keep up physically with Al-Ain, emphasizing the importance of accepting the result, reviewing errors, and working to improve the team's performance. He noted that competing in the AFC Champions League requires a higher level of readiness in all aspects.

Wissing also clarified that changing the formation, whether using three or four defenders, was not the reason for the defeat. He pointed out that Al-Ain were well-organized defensively and capitalized on Al-Ittihad's mistakes, underlining the need to analyze the match and confront challenges to return to the desired level.