Al-Ittihad’s Wissing Celebrates Gritty Win and Addresses Diaby Absence
Al-Ittihad got the three points. That was the line Jens Wissing kept coming back to after a breathless 3-2 win over Al-Hazm in the Saudi Roshn League – a victory he framed as a product of heavy legs and a crowded calendar as much as tactics or talent.
“We are happy with the win, and there is no easy encounter given the fixture congestion,” the German technical director said after the match, clearly relieved but not entirely satisfied.
Al-Ittihad have crammed five matches into less than two weeks. They have won four of them and lost none, but the strain is starting to show.
Strong Start, Fading Edge
Against Al-Hazm, Wissing saw two very different versions of his team.
“We played five matches in two weeks, produced a brilliant first half and scored, but we lost our sharpness in the second half and allowed the opponent to attack,” he admitted. “The most important thing in the end is securing the victory.”
The opening 45 minutes reflected what Wissing wants Al-Ittihad to become: front-foot, high-intensity, relentless. After the break, the legs went. The gaps opened. Al-Hazm grew into the game and forced Al-Ittihad to hang on.
Fatigue, Wissing insisted, was no mystery. “We played three days ago against Al-Qadsiah, and we exerted a great deal of physical effort, and that certainly affected us.”
Al-Hazm did their part in making life uncomfortable, too. “We faced a side that wore us down with long balls, and we were forced to exert a great effort. Every team has its own weapons, and in the end the result is the most important thing.”
He likes the start, but he is not dressing it up as anything more than that.
“We are certainly happy with our start, it is a good one for the season, but we still have a lot ahead of us,” he said. “The transfer window is also still open, and we are studying our options.”
Diaby Left Out: “Not Mentally Ready”
One of the big talking points came before kick-off. Moussa Diaby trained. Moussa Diaby did not play.
Wissing did not dodge the issue.
“The answer is simple. When a player comes and says he is not mentally ready, he cannot be involved,” he stated.
For Wissing, the bar is clear and non-negotiable, especially with the schedule as punishing as it is.
“I want players who are ready, and in the coming period we have a lot of fixture congestion, so if a player is not 100% ready, I am not prepared to rely on him.”
No punishment. No drama. Just a line in the sand about standards and readiness in a squad that is being stretched.
High Demands, Work in Progress
Wissing has been trying to drag Al-Ittihad’s game up a level since the first day of camp. The template is ambitious.
“Since the start of the camp we have been working on developing ourselves, because we want to produce football that relies on high intensity, but we have not reached that yet,” he said.
The players, he believes, are buying in.
“The demands I ask of the players are being carried out well, but they are not yet at the best possible level.”
Five games in under two weeks have underlined both sides of the project: a team that can overwhelm opponents in bursts, and one still learning how to sustain that intensity when the schedule bites back.
Unflinching Backing for En-Nesyri
If Diaby’s absence raised eyebrows, Youssef En-Nesyri’s form has drawn criticism. The Moroccan striker’s goals have not flowed, and the noise around him has grown.
Wissing shut it down.
“Youssef En-Nesyri is one of my best players. Since my arrival he has been one of the best players, and I do not care what the media or the fans say about him,” he declared.
He is not blind to the numbers. He just values more than the final touch.
“He may be unsuccessful in scoring, but he puts in a high and excellent effort, and that matters to me.”
In a squad stretched by games, travel and expectation, Wissing is choosing to lean on work-rate, mentality and trust. The goals, he believes, can follow. The question now is whether this intense, still-evolving Al-Ittihad can keep winning while they wait for everything – and everyone – to click.
