Al Ittihad are navigating one of the more turbulent periods of their season, with questions about the future of German coach Jens Weisser growing louder after a string of disappointing results. The club sit fourth in the Saudi Pro League with 17 points from eight games, but it is their AFC Champions League Elite campaign that has raised the most alarm. A 2-1 home defeat to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai, as reported by Goal, left them 11th in the West region standings with just one point from two games. Saudi media figure Abdullah Fallata has been among the most vocal critics, publicly questioning whether Weisser has the tools to turn things around. More recent reports have examined whether his departure is imminent, while further coverage has highlighted concerns about matters beyond pure results affecting confidence in his leadership. Weisser arrived in the summer as a replacement for Sergio Conceicao, and early signs were positive before defeats to Al Hilal in the league and then Shabab Al-Ahli in Asia shifted the mood sharply. Adding to the noise, Conceicao himself generated controversy with critical comments about Saudi players, before clarifying his remarks and suggesting they were mistranslated. Al Ittihad travel to Al-Ettifaq on October 20 in the Saudi Pro League, a match that carries real weight for a side that cannot afford further ground to slip away.