Simić explains Al-Ittihad’s defeat to Al-Hilal and remains hopeful

Al-Ittihad lost 3-2 to Al-Hilal in the eighth round of the Saudi Pro League. After the defeat, Jan-Carlo Simić identified individual errors as the cause of the goals conceded, while rejecting the idea that the result would prove decisive for his team’s season.

The Serbian defender also underlined the significance of the fixture. In his view, this classic is among the biggest contests in Saudi Arabia and Asia, bringing considerable pressure on both teams. Al-Ittihad did not get the result it wanted, he acknowledged.

Simić believes small details decide major matches, particularly against strong teams. He called for those mistakes to be corrected in the coming period. The 21-year-old said the defeat would not affect Al-Ittihad’s ambitions this season: the team intends to keep working seriously and stay on course.

The defender also stressed the need to move on quickly, analyse what went wrong and recover. Al-Ittihad is due back in action for its next match in two or three days.