According to reports, Jorge Jesus, the Portuguese coach of Al Hilal, expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance in their 7-0 victory over Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League quarter-finals. However, he emphasized that João Cancelo’s injury ruined the perfect picture of this win.

Jesus said in the post-match press conference: “Our goal was to win, and we achieved it. We also scored multiple goals with different players.”

He added: “The result should not give the impression that the opponent was weak. Maybe those who only see the scoreline think so, but we made the game easy for ourselves. We must not forget that this team had previously defeated Yokohama.”

Jesus continued: “The conditions were not easy for us, and not everything went according to plan. I would rather win 1-0 than lose a key player like Cancelo in a high-scoring victory.”

He thanked Al Hilal fans and said: “I am grateful to the fans for their support, and I also thank the opponent for the mutual respect shown at the end of the match. This game was broadcast in Brazil and Portugal, and the players displayed sportsmanship by honoring everyone in the stadium. This is what FIFA promotes as ‘Fair Play,’ and I hope this model spreads worldwide.”

Regarding team preparation, he said: “What happened in recent months is the price of success. We have been working intensively for the AFC Champions League and the Club World Cup.”

Jesus added: “The team’s progress has been evident, and today everyone’s performance was clear. However, we have not yet won the Asian championship; we only secured one victory. Two more matches remain, and we must prepare for the next stages. The most important thing is to recover well after this match.”

On Cancelo’s injury, Jesus said: “The severity is still unclear, and we are looking for solutions. He is a key player, and replacing him will be difficult. Tonight cannot be called perfect because we lost a high-quality player like Cancelo. Now, it is our responsibility to ensure his recovery with the medical team.”

When asked about fielding both Aleksandar Mitrović and Marcus Leonardo, Jesus explained: “Each game has its own strategy. We analyze conditions to strike the opponent effectively. Many details influence decisions. Marcus played well today and scored.”

He added: “Given the opponent’s style, I felt we needed two strikers. This decision came from analyzing their defensive structure and our lineup. Even the eighth goal by Malcom counts as a goal for me.”

Jesus concluded: “This was a technical decision. Each match requires a different strategy. Today it worked, but it may not always. However, our management was effective in this game.”