Al Ittihad are facing a genuine crisis of confidence after suffering a 4-1 home defeat to Al-Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite, a result that has intensified scrutiny on coach Jens Scheuring and raised real questions about the club's direction this season. The scale of the loss, coming on home soil at King Abdullah Sports City, left the club stranded in 10th place in the West group with just four points from four games, while Al-Ain sit top with a perfect 12 points.

The pressure on Scheuring has been building for weeks. A 1-1 draw at Abha in the Saudi Pro League preceded the continental humiliation, and reports suggest the club has been in talks with coaches ranked among the world's top five for around a month. Scheuring responded to the Al-Ain defeat by defending his squad publicly, insisting he would back his players and that results alone do not define his work. Those comments have done little to reassure supporters.

Compounding the squad problems, Colombian midfielder Richard Rios suffered an ankle injury just four minutes into the Abha match and faces a potential absence of one to three months depending on the severity. His fitness is a significant concern given the volume of fixtures ahead.

Off the pitch, reports have emerged of three separate parties competing to acquire the club, with a potential deal valued at between 800 million and one billion riyals. Al Ittihad sit fourth in the Saudi Pro League with 24 points from 11 games, and host Neom SC next on 6 November.