New Commander, New Chops: Conceicao Trims Ittihad’s Foreign Trio for Al-Fayha Showdown

Three foreigners left out by the new Ittihad coach

Portuguese manager Sergio Conceicao, the recently appointed coach of Al-Ittihad, has omitted three foreign players from the squad for the upcoming Al-Fayha match in Week 5 of the Roshen Saudi Pro League.

The team travels to Al Majma'a City Stadium this Friday evening, aiming to reboot their campaign and restore momentum after recent coaching changes.

According to the sports daily Al-Riyadiya, Conceicao dropped Algerian Hussam Awar, Albanian Mario Mitaj, and Serbian Karlo Simic for reasons ranging from readiness to tactical rest.

The paper notes that Mitaj and Simic were rested after late arrivals in Jeddah following international duty for World Cup 2026 qualifiers, with the coach preferring to spare them fatigue.

Meanwhile, Awar has not yet regained full fitness after a hamstring issue in the fourth-round classico against Al-Nasr, prompting medical staff to advise against risking his involvement.

Ittihad's traveling squad to the Majma'a includes nine foreigners, and Conceicao is likely to drop one more from the final list which allows only eight players in the match, amid a debate between Rogério Fernandes and Mohamed Doumbia for the last spot.

New start under a Portuguese boss

The Al-Fayha clash will be Conceicao's first official test since taking over on October 8, succeeding Laurent Blanc who was dismissed after a 0-2 defeat to Al-Nasr.

The Portuguese coach wants to stamp his mark quickly, taking advantage of the recent international window to study the group and address defensive and attacking issues that have troubled the team recently.

Al-Ittihad, the Roshen champions, arrive with strong motivation to win or at least post a positive result, sitting third with nine points, one behind Al-Qadsiah and three behind leaders Al-Nasr.

Statistically, Al-Ittihad is among the most stable Saudi clubs after international breaks, not losing in the last 23 matches post-break, recording 15 wins and eight draws, underscoring resilience and the ability to rebound after breaks.

The club's last defeat after an international break dates back to October 2019 against Al-Wehda (0-1); the team has not lost in their last 14 away games following international holidays, with six wins and eight draws, according to Opta.

The dismissal of Laurent Blanc followed a run of negative results, notably defeats to Al-Nasr in the league and to UAE's Al Shabab in the Asian Champions League, sparking fan calls for urgent leadership changes.

The interim coach Hasan Khalifa took charge but could not steady the ship after a second Asian defeat to Shabab Al-Ahli, leaving the team without points in continental competition.

Conceicao's approach: realism first

Conceicao is known for a strong personality and a style built on tactical discipline and fighting spirit, relying on a tight defense and quick transitions, with broad use of wings and vertical balls to build attacks.

Typically employing a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1, he does not cling to a single shape, preferring continual adjustments based on match conditions. His successful spell with Porto included domestic titles and notable European performances.

He emphasizes physical and mental resilience, with a reputation for demanding discipline from stars, which could help stabilize the mood inside the dressing room that has seen tension in recent weeks.

Tests ahead for the Deanship

After facing Al-Fayha, Al-Ittihad travels to Iraq to meet Al-Shorta in the AFC Champions League Elite, at Karbala City Stadium, seeking their first win after back-to-back losses to Al-Wehda and Shabab Al-Ahli.

Back in Jeddah, they will face a fiery derby against Al-Hilal on Friday in the sixth round of Roshen, a crucial early test for the new coach.

Later this month, more high-stakes challenges loom, including a King's Cup Round of 16 clash against Al-Nasr on October 28 at Al-Ittihad's home ground, a rematch given Nasr's dominant form this year.

Punchline 1: If defense were a joke, Conceicao would never let it miss the punchline—strict, sharp, and a little bit savage. Punchline 2: And if patience were a stat, Ittihad would top the charts—until the scoreboard proves otherwise, then we file it under “temporary.”