Jens Vising defends Al-Ittihad selection choices before Al Ain test

Jens Vising has defended his decision to rotate Al-Ittihad’s players after their draw with Abha, saying the questions directed at him would have been different had his side won the match.

The German coach admitted he was unhappy to drop two points but said Abha had defended effectively. His comments came on the eve of Al-Ittihad’s meeting with Al Ain in the fourth round of the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, 02 November 2026.

Vising said the team was preparing for a demanding contest against an opponent with considerable ability and was determined to show its character while producing a result that reflected its recent progress.

Asked about criticism of his use of rotation, Vising said: “Rotation is not about giving the answer people want. My job is to make the best decision. I am not happy about losing two points, but Abha knew how to defend, and if we had won, the questions would have been different.”

He added: “In the previous match, the opposition had two chances. If we had been able to score from our opportunities, everything would have been different. I cannot give straightforward answers about rotation because it is based on several factors.”

Vising expects strong response

The Al-Ittihad manager said his players were ready for the challenge posed by Al Ain and had one final training session before the match.

“This is a match we are looking forward to in the AFC Champions League against a strong team,” he said. “We want to show our personality and we are ready for the game. We have one final training session to prepare and we will be fully ready.”

Vising also expressed confidence that his players could deliver the required performance in the continental encounter.

“Al Ain are a strong and excellent team, and so are we,” he said. “We have all the players and the ability we need. We are in a period of development and have reached a good stage, but the journey is still long. We have a goal and an ambition that we want to achieve, and the players know what I want from them.”

Attacking options

The German coach was also asked about his attacking selections and how he distributes playing time among his forwards.

“I have been asked several times about the players, particularly the forwards,” Vising said. “You have seen the performances of the pair. We have George and Youssef, while Saleh also has an influence in the dressing room.”

He concluded: “The team spirit is excellent and every striker supports the others. My role as a coach is to manage the workload. We have played 17 matches so far and it is impossible for one player to play in all of them. We have circumstances and information that we assess.”