Ange Postecoglou did not hold back when asked about Al Nassr‘s congested schedule following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Al Khaleej, using his post-match press conference to call out the toll the Saudi Pro League‘s fixture list has taken on his squad.
“I think everyone is exhausted. Even Al Hilal lost to Neom, so the fixture congestion is taking its toll. We’ve played around eight matches in less than a month. Does that mean we should blame the players? Some of these matches have also been less than three days apart, and that’s something that needs to be taken into consideration,” Postecoglou said.
The Al Nassr coach pointed to Al Hilal’s shock 2-0 loss to Neom, which snapped the Riyadh giants’ unbeaten run, as evidence that the packed calendar is affecting even the league’s strongest sides, not just his own squad. Postecoglou was careful, however, not to turn his complaint into an excuse for his team’s result, instead shifting the blame away from his players entirely.
“I’m not making excuses, but what I want to get across is that the players have not let us down,” he added. The comments come at a demanding juncture for Al Nassr, who close out their domestic assignments this week before shifting focus to the AFC Champions League Elite, where they open their campaign away at Al Ain on Tuesday, adding yet another fixture to an already crowded stretch of the calendar.
Ange Postecoglou team Manager of Al Nassr during a Saudi Pro League game. (Getty Images)
Postecoglou reacts to the result
Beyond the fixture congestion, Postecoglou also addressed the substance of the draw itself, acknowledging that his side had been below their best against a struggling Al Khaleej outfit and that the result left him far from satisfied.
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“It was a difficult match. We expected it to be that way, especially after Al Khaleej took the lead. We tried to turn things around, we scored the equalizer, and we kept trying, but ultimately came away with a point. I’m certainly not happy with the result,” Postecoglou said.
The Australian’s frustration reflects the bigger picture facing Al Nassr, a squad now stretched thin by fixture congestion yet still expected to deliver results, even against sides fighting to avoid the relegation zone.
