RIYADH: Al-Hilal will pose a difficult test in Saturday’s Saudi Super Cup final in Abha, Al-Nassr’s head coach said on Friday.
Luis Castro said he was expecting a tough match for his team during a pre-match press conference.
“Both teams have exceptional players, and I hope the match will honor Saudi football,” the Portuguese coach said.
He also expressed hope that the referee would be able to control what promises to be a heated match between two bitter rivals.
He added: “It is known about me as a coach that I don’t talk much about refereeing. What matters to me is that my team plays well and wins.
“Football is always full of passion, and when you look at 22 players on the field you see they have a passion for winning because they want to win.
“But I hope the referee understands the difficulty of the match by calming the game down in tough moments.”
Castro praised the quality of Al-Hilal, saying he always enjoyed battling against the Riyadh giants.
He said: “We played two finals against them, winning the Arab Championship in the first and losing the second in a penalty shootout. I always see Al-Hilal as a strong competitor, and big teams like Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal always make their presence felt in finals, and that’s what will happen.”
His opposite number and countryman Jorge Jesus refused to link the issue of not including Saud Abdulhamid in his starting lineup for the final with talk of his possible departure to Serie A side AS Roma.
Jesus said during his media briefing on Friday that he picked Hamad Al-Yami instead, due to his qualities better suiting the team for the final.
Regarding the possibility of Malcom participating in the match after joining his team’s camp on Friday, Jesus added: “Malcom is in the process of returning. He will enter training and if he is ready, he will participate in the final. We hope for his participation because he offers many solutions and always helps the team.”
Jesus, who won the trophy last season, is delighted at reaching the final again and expects the match to live up to expectations.
He said: “Our opponent is strong, and the match reflects the development of Saudi football given the presence of exceptional players in both teams.
“The final will be exciting, and we and Al-Nassr will present a respectable image to the world, especially since the match will be broadcast in several countries, and as two clubs we must show the best image of Saudi Arabia.”
