Al-Ittihad First Team Club will host Al-Ettifaq on Tuesday in the 10th round of the Saudi Pro League, under the supervision of new coaches in the league this season: German Jens Vissing, coach of Al-Ittihad, and Australian Arthur Papas, coach of Al-Ettifaq, who are competing for the first time in the 'Pro League' after two previous encounters between them in another league.
Papas coached Japanese team Cerezo Osaka during the 2025-2026 season, while Vissing was present in Japanese stadiums during the same period coaching Gamba Osaka. The Australian managed Cerezo in 66 matches across various competitions, achieving 32 wins, 11 draws, and 23 losses. His players scored 141 goals, while conceding 113.
Conversely, the German managed Gamba in 27 matches, winning 15, drawing 3, and losing 9. His players scored 86 goals, while conceding 71, and the team won the AFC Champions League 2 title under his leadership. In Japanese stadiums, Papas, the current Al-Ettifaq coach, faced Vissing, the Al-Ittihad coach, twice, as Cerezo Osaka played against Gamba Osaka in the 100-Year Vision Cup tournament.
Each coach won one match, as Vissing led Gamba to a 5-4 victory on penalties against Cerezo led by Papas after a 0-0 draw in regular time. In their other encounter during the group stage, Cerezo led by Papas defeated Gamba led by Vissing 1-0 through Tiago Andrade, with each coach taking control in Japanese stadiums.
Furthermore, Papas has led Al-Ettifaq in ten matches across all competitions so far, winning four, drawing three, and losing three, while Vissing has won seven of his 12 matches with Al-Ittihad, drawn three, and lost twice.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
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