JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad coach Nuno Santo said a spate of injuries and a crowded fixture list would not prevent his team putting up a strong performance in the second round of the AFC Champions League.
The Jeddah giants play Iranian side Sepahan in Isfahan on Monday night.
“We have a big match against a good and organized team, and I personally know their coach,” the Portuguese told a press conference.
“We are currently working on preparing the players through recovery due to the proximity of match dates. We are suffering from the continuous absence of players due to injuries and we are constantly working on finding solutions,” he said.
“We have exceptional players and the pressure of the matches will not be an obstacle to us delivering the expected performance.”
Santo made special reference to the quality of his goalkeepers.
“Goalkeeping at Al-Ittihad is exceptional, with the presence of two great goalkeepers and this year we acquired the experienced Abdullah Al-Mayouf, who has a great track record in this tournament.”
