Jeddah: Roberto Mancini was full of praise for his players after Al Sadd SC produced a resilient and remarkable performance to knock out favourites Al Hilal SFC and advance to the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite 2025-2026 on Monday.
The Qatari champions came from behind three times to force extra time in a thrilling 3-3 draw before triumphing 4-2 in the penalty shootout at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium.
“The players put on a fantastic and strong performance, and I congratulate them on this result. Beating Al Hilal was difficult because we were playing against what is considered the strongest team in Asia,” said the Italian tactician.
“In this tournament, there are strong and high-level teams like Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad, and they are all striving to win this title. We, however, are also a good team and we play good football, and we will see what happens in the end.”
Al Sadd’s never-say-die spirit was on full display as they refused to be beaten despite Al Hilal’s dominance for long periods. The victory sets up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash against Japan’s Vissel Kobe on Thursday in Jeddah.
Meanwhile, Al Hilal’s hopes of lifting another continental title were shattered. Head coach Simone Inzaghi expressed deep disappointment, admitting his side failed to capitalise on their control of the match.
“We all saw how the match unfolded, and we apologise to the Al Hilal fans for our loss. We knew what was important for us, but luck wasn’t on our side,” said Inzaghi.
“The team played with commitment, tried everything and scored three goals. We also had many opportunities to take the lead — both in regulation time and extra time — but the opposing team was resolute.”
🫡#السد | #AlSadd pic.twitter.com/GDhihG7uGj
— 🏆 #82 Al Sadd SC | نادي السد (@AlsaddSC) April 14, 2026
Despite the elimination, Inzaghi vowed that his side would bounce back quickly.
“Considering the number of chances we had, we deserved to qualify for the quarter-finals. We need time to overcome this loss, but in football, you have to have targets and now we must focus on achieving our next objectives.
“We still have two competitions to play for — the King’s Cup, where we have reached the final, and the league, where we still have six matches remaining. Despite this, we are disappointed to have been eliminated from the AFC Champions League.”
The result marks a significant achievement for Al Sadd and Mancini, who continue to impress in their campaign across both domestic and continental fronts.
