Donis warns of Saudi Arabia fatigue ahead of Gulf Cup 27 final

Saudi Arabia head coach Georgios Donis says his players are suffering from fatigue but believes they can recover and defeat the United Arab Emirates in Tuesday’s Gulf Cup 27 final.

Saudi Arabia reached the final after beating Qatar on penalties following a goalless draw after extra time in Saturday’s semi-final at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah.

Donis praised his side’s performance in a demanding match against an experienced Qatar team that defended effectively.

“I congratulate the players on their high-level performance and their resilience,” Donis said at his post-match news conference, in comments reported by Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah.

“They gave everything in a difficult game against an experienced opponent who defended very well.”

The Greek coach said the short nature of the tournament had made fatigue a significant factor.

“This is a short competition and fatigue has an impact,” he added. “We deserved to win after an impressive performance. We had problems with the players’ fatigue during the match, but I am happy with what happened.

“The players will produce a good final, and that is what we expect from them.”

Saudi Arabia will face the United Arab Emirates at Alinma Stadium in Jeddah on Tuesday, with Donis urging his squad to focus on recovery before preparing for the final.

“We have to take each match separately, try to recover properly and produce our best strategies in the games,” he said.

Donis also explained the tactical changes made during the semi-final, saying his team had needed to alter its approach after the interval.

“We had a specific strategy for today’s match, and we had to play differently at the beginning,” he said. “In the second half, we made some changes.”

He acknowledged that Saudi Arabia had struggled to create clear opportunities and make the right decisions in attack.

“We had to play in a different way and try to create goals,” Donis said. “I think we did not make the right decisions in the match. Playing defensively made the situation more difficult for us.”

The coach called on the team to concentrate on the final stage of the tournament and praised the influence of the supporters in Jeddah.

“We have to focus on the final step and on ourselves. We need the support of the fans,” he said.

“After the match, I asked the players to thank and congratulate the supporters because they had an impact on us during the game. I also told the players that we are capable of winning.”

Donis declined to discuss the referee’s decisions, saying: “I do not want to talk about the referee’s decisions. The referee did not see what I saw, and I do not want to discuss this matter. We respect his decisions and everything he does.”

Saudi Arabia have now played five matches without conceding a goal. Donis credited that record to his players’ performances, skill and ability, while admitting there was still room for improvement.

“Playing five matches without conceding is something special, and it is down to the performance, skill and ability of the players,” he said. “But we made a mistake by allowing the opposition to create chances. Step by step, we will build our own identity.”