ACL Elite Final: Mahrez, Jaissle vow Al Ahli will 'give everything' for glory | OneFootball

On Saturday, at what’s sure to be a partisan Alinma Stadium in Jeddah, Al Ahli will seek to become the third Roshn Saudi League side to be crowned champions of the continent, when they face Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale on their own patch.

The Jeddah club, fourth in the current RSL, are contesting a third Asian club football showpiece after 1986 and 2012, and set up the opportunity to finally land the trophy with a superb victory against reigning Saudi champions, and record four-time AFC Champions League winners, Al Hilal on Tuesday.

Al Ahli have been the form team of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite: they go into the final unbeaten in all 12 matches in this year’s rebranded tournament, with Riyad Mahrez the standout.

The Algerian winger, who topped last season’s RSL for assists (13), sit at the summit for that particular stat in Asia this campaign, with eight. What’s more, though, Mahrez lies second in the scoring charts also, with nine – one behind Al Hilal captain Salem Al Dawsari.

On Friday, ahead of the club’s most important continental match in more than a decade, Mahrez joined manager Matthias Jaissle to preview the clash with Frontale. Here’s what the Al Ahli duo had to say.

Matthias Jaissle

“It will be a tough game. It’s a final of the AFC Champions League, so we’re aware of that, that we need to perform at our best possible level to have the result like we expect. We had the dream from the first day when we played the first match in that competition to be finally in the final, playing at home.

"And, of course, you also want to make the last step - and that’s our approach for tomorrow.

“First of all, I’m really proud to be the coach of this team, with these fans, of how the fans were backing me also in difficult times and supported the team and myself in an incredible way. That’s also part of why we’re now in the final.

“The atmosphere [in Alinma Stadium] has always been amazing and tomorrow it will be even better. I’m sure that everyone brings the extra boost into that stadium that finally we, as a team, can deliver what they expect and what they hope for.

“For tomorrow, it will be clear. Don’t worry about [any outside distraction]. Let’s just focus on the match. Don’t interpret too much beforehand and, with 24 hours even more to make the final preparation in the best possible way.

“And then everyone - and I’m 100 percent convinced of that - is putting their maximum on the pitch to finalise our dream.”

Riyad Mahrez

“It’s a final - we all wanted to arrive at this point to play a final like this, of the Champions League. So, we’re happy. But, at the same time, we are focused and ready to give everything tomorrow.

“The fans are incredible. They’ve always been behind us but obviously the last game [Tuesday’s semi-final] was incredible in our stadium -even if it was half-half. Tomorrow, I don’t think it will be half-half, so we need them as much as possible.

"We’re going to give everything; we want them to push us until the end. Because we need them, and without them we can’t give the last effort that we want for all the club [and] the city.

“It’s not about playing [three matches] in 10 days [and feeling fatigued]. When you play this type of competition you are ready, especially in our home and we have a good opportunity to bring a first Champions League to Al Ahli. We will give everything.

“Of course, the opponent is not an opponent that we play every week, but we’ve seen them play and we know what approach we can have.

“And like I said, the most important is to give everything and to enjoy because maybe some people think the final is every season, but some people might play only one final in their career. So, they have to give everything to lift the trophy.

“We want to achieve something as a team as well with everyone who is working in the club, around the club, who deserve this. That’s why we’re going to fight for everything, every minute, every second of the game, to lift the trophy. We are more than ready.

“I’m really looking forward to it. I really want to win a trophy with this team, with this club, and like I said I will give everything tomorrow.”