"Al Hilol" head coach Jorge Jesus participated in a press conference after the match against "Paxtakor".
"We demonstrated discipline and a high level of skill, neutralized the dangerous actions of the Uzbek team, and managed to control the game in the way we needed.
We forced our opponent to play at a high pace. I would like to especially congratulate the fans, they played a very important role from the moment they welcomed the team. This was a worthy game for the Champions League. The fans have a great desire to win in this competition, and we as a team feel this desire. We came with full confidence that we could change the situation from Uzbekistan" - said Jorge Jesus after the victory over "Paxtakor".
About the difference between today's game and previous matches:
"The Champions League is my personal goal. I have won such competitions in South America and I want to win in Asia as well. The difference is that in February we only conducted recovery exercises and due to time constraints, we could not perform them perfectly. This situation created the main difference between the previous matches and today's game. We are playing every three days".
About the preparation for the next game amid many injuries in the team:
"I have a lot of experience participating in such competitions. I have worked under tight schedules in both Europe and Brazil, but the team composition must be broad. This year, due to the shortened player list, both in "Al-Nasr" and "Al-Ahli" and in our team, the opportunity for rotation has decreased. All leading clubs like "Real Madrid" also face many injuries due to schedule density.
I have seen some saying that the team is not physically ready or that the fitness coach is to blame. Those who think this way should better remain silent. The issue is not with physical loads, but with their distribution between games and recovery. Those who are criticizing the training program are completely unjust. They understand nothing.
We have one more game before the break. The next match is like a final for me. Our goal is to win the championship again, and this is very important. The Asian Champions League is of special significance to me, but the national championship is also a priority, so the recovery of the players will be a decisive factor".
