Inzaghi hails ‘historic' Al Hilal win over Man City: We climbed a mountain with no oxygen
ORLANDO — Al Hilal head coach Simone Inzaghi described his side's dramatic 4-3 extra-time triumph over Manchester City in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 as a 'historic performance,' praising his players' spirit and tactical execution in what he called one of the biggest wins of his career.
Speaking at the post-match press conference in Orlando, the Italian tactician said: 'I congratulate the players for a fantastic performance. We beat a very strong team. We played with intensity, clarity, and heart. This victory brought great joy to Al Hilal and to Saudi Arabia. We'll enjoy the moment, recover well, and prepare for the quarterfinal.'
Inzaghi, who took over Al Hilal earlier this summer, praised the character of his squad in the absence of key defender Hassan Tambakti: 'It wasn't easy without Tambakti, but Leonardo and Lodi were excellent at the back. The whole team deserves this win.'
The former Inter Milan coach also revealed the physical toll of the contest: 'It's never easy to prepare players physically for such intense matches, but our staff, whom I've worked with for 10 years, did an exceptional job tactically and physically. We'll need to recover quickly, especially ahead of facing a very strong Fluminense side.'
One of the game's standout moments came from Senegalese center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, who scored a header from a set-piece, a detail Inzaghi credited to careful planning: 'We worked a lot on set pieces. The staff deserves full credit.'
Asked about his post-match interaction with City boss Pep Guardiola, Inzaghi said: 'He came to congratulate me. There's mutual respect. Facing Manchester City was like climbing a mountain without oxygen. The players made it happen.'
Inzaghi showered praise on individual performers including Joao Cancelo, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Rúben Neves, Malcom, Koulibaly, and goal-scoring hero Marcos Leonardo.
He also saluted his Saudi core: 'Nasser played an incredible match, and the same goes for Al Yami, Al Bulayhi, and Al Laajami. Everyone gave their best.'
He added that Serbian midfielder Milinković-Savić was particularly instrumental: 'Physically dominant, always present in transitions he helped a lot. Lodi, Neves, Cancelo, and Bounou all played key roles too.'
When asked about what message he gave his players pre-match, Inzaghi replied: 'I told them to give everything. I told them I didn't want this to be our last match in the tournament that we were here to represent Al Hilal, and we had to show our level.'
Al Hilal now face Fluminense in the quarterfinals, riding high after one of the most iconic wins in their modern history.
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