Al Ittihad are navigating a difficult stretch, with pressure building on coach Jens Weisser following a series of disappointing results. The German coach, who arrived this summer as a replacement for Sergio Conceicao, oversaw a damaging defeat to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in the AFC Champions League Elite, losing 2-1, a result that deepened concerns about the club's direction on two fronts simultaneously. In the Saudi Pro League, a loss to Al Hilal compounded the sense that things have turned since a promising start to the season. As reported by Goal, criticism of Weisser has intensified, with questions raised not just about results but about his handling of the squad. Saudi media figure Abdullah Fallata went further, suggesting that Weisser lacks the tools needed to succeed at the club. The situation has been complicated further by the controversy surrounding Conceicao, who made critical comments about Saudi players before later clarifying that his words had been mistranslated. Despite the turbulence, Al Ittihad remain fifth in the league table with 17 points from eight games, still within reach of the leading positions. Their next test comes against Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League on 20 October at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, a match they will need to win to ease the growing pressure around the club.