U23 Saudi Arabia Coach Reveals Reason for Not Thoroughly Studying Vietnam Yet

U23 Saudi Arabia coach Luigi Di Biagio admits he holds U23 Vietnam in high regard but states that the squad is temporarily focusing on their first game against Kyrgyzstan.

Ahead of the AFC U23 Championshiphead coach Luigi Di Biagio and captain Abdulaziz Aliewa of U23 Saudi Arabia shared notable insights when asked about their preparations and evaluation of opponents in their group, including U23 Vietnam.

When asked if they had studied U23 Vietnam or coach Kim Sang Sik, Di Biagio openly acknowledged the significant progress Vietnamese football has made in recent years. According to the Italian coach, despite having a young squad, U23 Vietnam demonstrates solid organization and disciplined, effective play.

“Vietnamese football is developing rapidly. They field a young team but are very well organized. We have watched quite a few of U23 Vietnam’s matches to get an overall understanding of the opponent,” Di Biagio shared.

However, the home team’s coach emphasized that for now, U23 Saudi Arabia will prioritize focusing on their opening match against U23 Kyrgyzstan. “Tomorrow we will face U23 Kyrgyzstan, so the whole team needs to concentrate fully on this opponent first. After that, we will study U23 Vietnam more thoroughly,” he added.

From a player’s perspective, captain Abdulaziz Aliewa confirmed that U23 Saudi Arabia is in good physical and mental condition ahead of their opening match. He mentioned the team has undergone serious preparation with intense training sessions to peak at the right moment.

“To get ready for the first game, we trained at high intensity. The entire squad is currently very well prepared,” Abdulaziz Aliewa said.

The U23 Saudi Arabia captain also expressed his hope to receive strong support from fans in the stands. He believes that the presence of supporters will be a great motivation, helping the team play with more confidence and determination throughout the tournament.

“We really hope to get backing from the fans. Their cheers will provide a huge boost for the whole team during the competition,” Abdulaziz Aliewa affirmed.