Al Ittihad are navigating a difficult stretch, with pressure mounting on German coach Jens Weissfeller following a run of poor results that has raised serious questions about his future at the club. A 2-1 defeat to Shabab Al-Ahli Dubai in the AFC Champions League Elite compounded an earlier loss to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, leaving the club's season looking increasingly fragile after what had been a promising start.

The scrutiny on Weissfeller has intensified in recent days. Saudi media personality Abdullah Fallata publicly questioned whether the coach has the tools to succeed at the club, while separate reports cited off-pitch concerns about his conduct and intentions. Al Ittihad issued a statement addressing speculation about internal discord, though the noise around the manager shows little sign of fading. Weissfeller replaced Sergio Conceicao in the summer, and the Portuguese coach's recent comments criticising Saudi players and the league environment have added an unwanted distraction to the club's current difficulties.

Despite the turbulence, Al Ittihad remain fifth in the Saudi Pro League with 17 points from eight games, still within range of the leading positions. The next test comes against Al-Ettifaq on Tuesday 20 October at Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, a fixture the club will want to use to stabilise momentum and ease the pressure on their manager before the situation deteriorates further.