When Portugal’s Masters Clash Again: Jesus and Conceicao Rekindle a Long-Standing Feud in Saudi Sands

Historic roots of a personal war that never really stayed quiet

Portuguese tactician Jorge Jesus, currently steering Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, appears to have reignited an age-old rivalry with fellow Portuguese coach Sergio Conceicao, who is nearing a move to Al Ittihad in Jeddah. The simmering tension isn’t new; it’s a storyline that has traveled from the Iberian Peninsula to the Arabian Peninsula, feeding into every tactical press conference and every on-field clash.

Several Saudi outlets report that Sergio Conceicao, the former Milan boss, has agreed to lead Al Ittihad in the near future, replacing Laurent Blanc who was dismissed after a Sunday defeat to Jesus’ side. The span of the contract is slated for two seasons, potentially stretching to 2028 with an option for another extension.

The transition is said to have been set in motion by Jesus himself, whose presence at Al Nassr has helped steer the momentum toward Conceicao’s candidacy at Al Ittihad. Blanc’s ouster came in the wake of a 0-2 loss to Jesus’ team at the Al Enmaa Stadium, a result that many saw as a tipping point for organizational changes at the club.

Though the setback was painful, it also served as a catalyst that aligned two eras of Portuguese coaching minds—from the old guard of Porto and Benfica to the modern-day Saudi fold—where results and reputations travel faster than players these days.

The clash resumes in the Saudi cups: history, heat, and a very public scoreboard

Conceicao’s imminent arrival at Al Ittihad sets the stage for a renewed confrontation with Jesus, who has already orchestrated a few high-profile defeats against his countryman and former protégé in the domestic league. The recent sequence includes Blanc’s dismissal—an act still echoing through locker rooms—as the teams prepared to face each other once more in league and cup play.

The backstory between Jesus and Conceicao goes back to the mid-1990s when a young Conceicao, in his early 20s, was sent on loan from Porto to a smaller club for more minutes. Jesus, then launching his coaching career with a smaller club, noticed Conceicao’s potential and pushed for a move that would shape both men’s careers. In that early season, Conceicao played 11 games, scoring once and assisting once, a modest stat line that would foreshadow a much larger narrative about drive and development.

“He was a kid—just 19 or 20—under my wing, and now look at him,” Jesus once remarked in retrospective comments about their first professional rendezvous. The conversation would later mature into a fierce rivalry, with each manager testing the other’s methods in Portugal’s top leagues, then clashing again in the modern Saudi era—now with far bigger stakes and a much larger stage.

Their head-to-head history is long and hot. They first met as managers in the 2011-2012 season, with a goalless draw that hinted at the battles to come. Across the years, Conceicao’s Porto and Jesus’ Benfica/other clubs traded wins, losses, and occasional cup finals. The 2017-2018 period intensified the rivalry when Conceicao led Porto while Jesus was carving out his own legacy elsewhere, culminating in a run of meetings that often favored one or the other depending on the trophy in question.

The most defining moment for their feud might well be the 2020-2021 season when Jesus returned to Benfica as Conceicao’s Porto pressed on. Their clash on January 15, 2021, ended in a 1-1 stalemate but triggered a broader, ongoing personal contest between the two coaches. Jesus later described the incident as a turning point—an end to their cordial relationship, with public comments suggesting they hadn’t spoken since that day.

As the 2021-2022 season rolled in, Conceicao’s Porto inflicted a 3-0 defeat on Benfica in the Portuguese Cup, a result that underscored how fragile rivalries can be even when mutual respect is present off the field. In their most recent meetings before the Saudi shift, Porto and Benfica exchanges were tightly contested, with wins and losses distributed in cups and league play alike.

A potential 20th meeting looms

With Conceicao poised to take over Al Ittihad and Jesus continuing to lead Al Nassr, their next clash could mark the 20th official encounter between the coaches. The date targeted for the King Cup quarterfinal clash is October 28, 2025, at Al Nassr’s home ground. Historically, Jesus has held the edge in league play, while Conceicao has outpaced him in cup competitions, a dynamic that promises fireworks in a knockout setting.

Across 19 prior meetings, Jesus had 7 wins to Conceicao’s 6, with 6 draws. In domestic cups, Conceicao has owned the better of the head-to-head, edging Jesus in the knockout format with a narrow lead that adds lines to the already spicy rivalry. The coming quarterfinal, in a country that loves its cup ties, could redefine their legacies once more.

In short, this isn’t just about two coaches swapping scripts; it’s a narrative about two icons who grew up alongside Portuguese football and now find themselves shaping a new chapter in the Saudi sands. Expect tactical chess, a few mind games, and yes, a scoreline that will be debated in newsletters and press rooms for days to come.

Punchline time: If their feud were a kit, it would be a vintage throwback—everyone wants one, but you better have a good press conference to pull it off. Second punchline: Their rivalry is so storied that even the ball has a passport. It travels, it talks, and apparently, it never forgets to gossip with the bench.