“Sérgio Conceição leaves the conference after defeat and explosive outburst.”

Sérgio Conceição explodes after Al Ittihad’s defeat: storms out of press conference in fury and responds with irony about future at the club

Matchday 28 of the Saudi league brought a bitter night for Al Ittihad and its Portuguese coach, Sérgio Conceição, who could not hide his anger after the home defeat by 3-4 against Neom. The negative result, which leaves the team in sixth place with 45 points, was merely the pretext for an outburst during the live press conference that quickly made headlines.

At the end of the match, the coach’s frustration erupted during the press conference when a journalist asked about his continuity in charge of the team for the next season. Sérgio Conceição, visibly irritated, did not hesitate to respond with a terse and direct phrase: “That’s media talk.” Without wanting to elaborate, he abruptly stood up and left the room, leaving those present stunned and social media in a frenzy.

Before this tense moment, Conceição gave a frank analysis of his team’s performance: “We had several opportunities, but we conceded goals due to our own mistakes. We did not face an easy opponent and, after Doumbia’s injury, we tried to find solutions, but we made some errors. I do not shy away from responsibility; we are all responsible for this situation.” The coach admitted that the game did not go well, stating that “we made mistakes that cost us dearly and the game slipped away from us.” Regarding controversial moments, such as the penalty by Fabinho, he preferred not to elaborate, emphasizing that “we made mistakes that should not have happened… and, unfortunately, we did not have luck in this game.”

The situation of the squad was also highlighted as a factor of difficulty: “We lost important players with the departures of Kanté and Doumbia.” For the coach, the result is “unsatisfactory,” especially because it occurred at home, where a different reaction was expected. Despite the setback, Sérgio Conceição is already looking ahead: “We will focus on the Champions League.”

At this moment, Al Ittihad finds itself in a delicate position in the Saudi league, potentially being surpassed in the next round by Al Ettifaq, which still has a match against Al Riyadh. The pressure is mounting, and the atmosphere surrounding the Portuguese coach is becoming increasingly tense, with this abrupt statement becoming the center of attention in Arab football.

Sérgio Conceição, known for his strong temperament and high demands, thus leaves the future of his role as head coach of Al Ittihad open, at a time when the club is fighting to get back on the path to victory and establish itself among the giants of the Saudi championship. His dramatic exit from the press conference did not go unnoticed and promises to further fuel the debate about what lies ahead for the experienced Portuguese coach in international football.

This article first appeared in Apito Final.