Al-Fateh goalkeeper Jacob Rinne ready for challenge of Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema

Jacob Rinne moved to Al-Fateh from Danish side Aalborg BK last summer for a new challenge and a welcome escape from the harsh Scandinavian climate. (Instagram/@jacobrinne)
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Updated 13 August 2024
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Al-Fateh goalkeeper Jacob Rinne ready for challenge of Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema

  • On Friday, Swedish goalkeeper comes up against a wounded Al-Nassr looking for first SPL win of the season
  • “Thank you for reminding me,” Rinne smiles when asked by Arab News about the spot-kick in February

RIYADH: Jacob Rinne moved to Al-Fateh from Danish side Aalborg BK last summer for a new challenge and a welcome escape from the harsh Scandinavian climate.
Seven months later the Swedish goalkeeper was facing down Cristiano Ronaldo, aiming to shut out the world’s greatest international goalscorer.
On that February evening, Ronaldo bested Rinne from the penalty spot as Al-Nassr snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw in injury-time at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium. This Friday, the pair will meet again in the Saudi Pro League.
“Thank you for reminding me,” Rinne smiles when asked by Arab News about the spot-kick in February. “Before the game we discussed penalties and where Ronaldo would shoot. We agreed that I’d just stay in the middle but we also looked at some patterns in his run that seemed to show which corner he would choose to put it in.
“When I saw he was taking the penalty I was saying to myself, ‘just stay, stay in the middle.’ But when he was running to the ball, I saw something and just had an immediate feeling that he would go for a corner so I dived … and he basically chipped it down the middle.
“Honestly, I was so angry with myself. It would have been great to save that one!”
Ronaldo’s high-profile transfer to Al-Nassr has been followed by the summer arrival of some of the world’s best attacking talent to the Saudi Pro League, with the likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez all among Rinne’s opponents this season.
Rinne could be forgiven for being a little nervous at the prospect of facing such accomplished strikers, but instead he is relishing the opportunity to test himself against the best in the world.
“It started with Cristiano and he gave such a such a boost to the whole league,” Rinne said. “Now there are so many great players coming and most of them are in the offensive part of the pitch.
“I know I’m going to have a lot to do but it’s just fun to be able to be a part of that era right now in Saudi Arabia. It would be nice to save a one-on-one against Benzema, of course, but I’m looking forward to playing against any of those guys who have pretty much won everything individually.”
Rinne insists that whether Al-Fateh come up against Neymar at Al-Hilal or Benzema at Al-Ittihad, they will approach each game the same way.
“We don’t prepare differently. Before every game we analyze the most dangerous players they have offensively and of course this week we’re going to look at Cristiano and Sadio for example, and what they do specifically.
“But in another team, that can be a Saudi guy and we will treat him the same — there is nothing specifically that we do just because they are great players,” he added.
“The main difference is that usually if they get the chance, these big players pretty much take it. They punish you when you make a mistake much more than the other ones.”
Ronaldo netted 14 times in 16 Saudi Pro League matches last season but Rinne feels the Portugal forward has not been given an easy ride by opponents since moving to Saudi Arabia and expects other new arrivals to experience the same treatment.
“It must be pretty hard for Cristiano because when you step up against those players, immediately you sharpen yourself up and you are really on him because you don’t want him to beat you. For some players, this is almost the game of their lives to play against Ronaldo, so if you get that every time, it must be hard.
“I do think just because some of these clubs have some great players, it doesn’t mean they are going to immediately jump ahead. It’s still a tough league.”
Al-Fateh finished sixth in 2022-23 but despite a solid showing, the club replaced Greek boss Georgios Donis with ex-Croatia and West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic. While Rinne enjoyed playing for Donis, he insists the intensity of training has been taken up a notch by Bilic.
“It started in preseason in Austria,” Rinne recalled. “He (Bilic) started off saying that preseason is not fun and the main goal is to improve our conditioning and train harder.
“I was so happy when I heard this because honestly I missed this last season. It has been the biggest change. He’s always there and involved in everything and his assistants are really great guys and great coaches also. I think the whole squad is round him and it has improved.”
Part of that improvement has been thanks to Al-Fateh’s new signings, with Armenia midfielder Lucas Zelarayan and Belgium center-back Jason Denayer joining this summer. Ex-Barcelona forward Christian Tello and Spanish defender Fran Velez make up the other European players in the squad, and Rinne has been happy with the reinforcements.
“We have sharpened up the squad and had some great guys coming in with Jason and Lucas. They are really great players so of course our goal is to play for the Asian Champions League positions this season.
“I really liked Donis, but since Slaven came in you feel like the whole squad is stepping up. We were missing that intensity before. Now it is like someone is always hunting the players — it doesn’t matter if you are someone like Cristian Tello or not, the aim is always to try to improve.”
The improvements Rinne has seen at Al-Fateh over the summer have made him feel more settled at the club, and while he admits that there were some difficult times adjusting to life in the Gulf last season, he believes the strength of the Saudi Pro League shows he made the right choice to move.
“It was difficult at the start,” he said. “There were times when I wondered if I had made the right decision to come to Saudi because it seemed training wasn’t as intense or serious. I actually told my agent after a couple of months that I didn’t know if I could stand this because I still have ambitions to improve myself and achieve something.
“I thought maybe it would kill my chance to go for the top five leagues in Europe in the future but now the league has developed here in Saudi Arabia, there is more publicity and a little bit more hype,” said Rinne.
“Now I am enjoying it here. I was playing in the north of Denmark for five years and was used to heavy, strong wind, blowing from side to side, and the facilities were not at the top level. Here, we have great weather, the football pitches and the facilities are great. I am really focused right now on doing as well as I can in Saudi Arabia.”


We will ‘do our best’ for Barcelona’s Saudi fans, says Raphinha ahead of Spanish Super Cup start in Jeddah

Updated 08 January 2025
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We will ‘do our best’ for Barcelona’s Saudi fans, says Raphinha ahead of Spanish Super Cup start in Jeddah

  • Barcelona face Athletic Club in Wednesday’s first semifinal, with winners tackling either Real Madrid or Mallorca in the final at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah

JEDDAH: Raphinha says Barcelona are determined to repay local fans for their support by winning the Supercopa de Espana in Jeddah.

La Liga runners-up Barcelona and Copa del Rey winners Athletic Club will contest the first Supercopa semifinal on Wednesday at King Abdullah Sports City, with kickoff at 10 p.m. local time.

The winners will face either La Liga champions Real Madrid or Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca in Sunday’s final at the same stadium.

Barcelona have an enormous fanbase in Saudi Arabia, a country with a thriving football culture that has been the hosts of the Supercopa de Espana since 2020.

The Catalans are sure to enjoy the majority of the support in Jeddah on Wednesday evening and Raphinha wants to ensure their fans are treated to a spectacle.

Raphinha, 28, said: “I would like to thank them for the love. We know how difficult it is for fans to be able to go to Barcelona and watch one of our games there, so to be able to come here, play in a semifinal and (possibly) a final is great, it’s exciting. What we can do is appreciate the love and do our best to try and win two matches.”

Raphinha arrives in Jeddah as one of Barcelona’s standout players this season, scoring 17 goals and creating 10 assists in 25 matches in all competitions.

The team, however, enter the Supercopa in mixed form. Following a blistering start to the season, Barcelona have lost three of their last seven matches, including consecutive defeats in La Liga.

Barca’s pedigree in the Supercopa is unrivalled, though, having won a record 14 trophies. They last won the competition in Riyadh in 2023, and Raphinha believes success in Jeddah this week can provide a vital boost for the rest of the season.

“A title gives confidence to any team,” the Brazilian forward said. “We have to be ready to fight for everything. We have the opportunity to win the first title of the year. It will give us a lot of confidence.”

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick echoed Raphinha’s comments by insisting his players are raring to go and are fully focused on achieving more Supercopa success in Saudi Arabia.

Flick said: “I can feel with the team everyone is ready for this tournament. The semifinal against Athletic is a tough match and we focus on that and not think about the days after that, only focus on this match.

“Of course, when you win titles, it’s very good for the club, very good for the team, for every player and also for us coaches, because we all work hard and train hard.”

If Barcelona are to add to their 14 Supercopas, they will need to get past extremely tough opposition, starting with semifinal opponents Athletic Club.

The Catalans edged the Basque club 2-1 in their most recent meeting at the start of the Spanish Liga season, although Athletic enter the tie with the better overall form, going unbeaten in their last 15 matches in all competitions and winning 11.

Athletic have also won their last two Supercopa matches against Barca, claiming a 3-2 victory after extra time in the 2021 final, and a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate win in 2015 before the format was expanded to four teams.

Athletic captain Oscar De Marcos is aware of the task against Barcelona, but insists they are ready for the challenge.

“We’re looking forward to being in another semifinal,” he said. “We know we’re facing a very tough opponent, but whenever you’re close to a title you have the hope of being able to win it. We need a great game to be able to win it.”

Athletic also have stellar Supercopa experience in the dugout. Manager Ernesto Valverde has been in charge for two of Athletic’s three Supercopa triumphs, while he is familiar with the tournament in Saudi having led Barcelona in the inaugural four-team tournament in 2020.

“We are excited about the Supercopa,” the Spanish coach said. “Our intention is to make the most of our chances. We are not favorites from the start, but we have to play like it. We will give everything to win it because we have travelled here for a reason.”

On the fans in Saudi Arabia, Valverde added: “There are more Barcelona fans than our own. That’s for sure. There will be a good atmosphere and we hope people can enjoy a good match. I know it well because it was my last match with Barcelona.”

The Supercopa de Espana is being staged in Saudi Arabia as part of a long-term partnership with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, which will keep the competition in the Kingdom until 2029.

 


Rajkovic, Benzema star as Al-Ittihad dump Al-Hilal out of King Cup

Updated 08 January 2025
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Rajkovic, Benzema star as Al-Ittihad dump Al-Hilal out of King Cup

  • Thriller goes to penalties after sides finish level
  • 120 minutes of football saw the sides end all-square at 2-2

RIYADH: Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Hilal 3-1 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to move into the semifinal of the King Cup after 120 minutes of action in Riyadh had ended 2-2.
Predrag Rajkovic was the hero for the Jeddah club, saving three of Al-Hilal’s penalty kicks.
The first half was an even affair, although it started badly for Al-Hilal with the Saudi Pro League’s top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic leaving the pitch after 13 minutes with what seemed to be a hamstring injury.
Three minutes later, Al-Hilal almost took the lead but Salem Al-Dawsari’s shot from just inside the penalty area hit the foot of a post.
After 26 minutes, Karim Benzema started asking questions, forcing a good save from Yassine Bounou with a curling shot from outside the area.
The French striker had the ball in the net just before the break, shooting home after Bounou had got a hand to a low shot from N’Golo Kante, but he was ruled offside.
There was still time in the first half for Benzema to shoot tamely at the Moroccan goalkeeper from close range.
The former Real Madrid star finally broke the deadlock just after the hour, just moments after Malcom had hit the post for Al-Hilal. Benzema controlled a right-sided cross from Muhannad Al-Shanqiti and then fired home from close range.
Al-Hilal were back on level terms with 18 minutes remaining. The ball fell to Salem Al-Dawsari just inside the area and the 2022 Asian Player of the Year made no mistake to shoot past Rajkovic.
The game went into extra-time and after 101 minutes Al-Hilal moved ahead for the first time. Moteb Al-Harbi produced a perfect diagonal low cross from the left to find Marcos Leonardo at the far post and the Brazilian did the rest.
However, it did not take long for Benzema to equalize, sweeping the ball high into the net from close range to take the game to penalties.
A dismal effort from Al-Hilal followed from the spot as they scored just once.
Mohamed Kanno took the first, which was saved by Rajkovic, and when Benzema scored, Al-Ittihad were in the driving seat, especially as the Serbian goalkeeper also blocked Leonardo’s attempt.
Fabinho made it 2-0 to The Tigers and after Danilo Pereira scored to make it 3-1, Malcom had to hit the back of the net for the match to stay alive but Rajkovic saved once more.
Al-Ittihad and their traveling fans celebrated as they joined Al-Qadsiah, who defeated Al-Taawoun 3-0 earlier on Tuesday, in the last four. They join Al-Shabab and Al-Raed in the semis.


Inter Milan coach maintains optimism despite Italian Supercup loss

Updated 07 January 2025
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Inter Milan coach maintains optimism despite Italian Supercup loss

  • Simone Inzaghi working to regain ‘focus’ as team look to the future

RIYADH: Inter Milan will focus on boosting morale for future games following defeat in the Italian Supercup, Simone Inzaghi, the club’s manager told Arab News on Monday.

AC Milan secured a 3-2 comeback victory over city rivals Inter Milan at Riyadh’s Alawwal Park on Monday.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Inzaghi said: “We should work on motivating the players and the fans. Cheering them up and boosting their morale.

“Defeat is a hard feeling I know but we should work on regaining conscience and focus. We wanted to win the title, but it is what it is.”

Prior to the derby, Arab News interviewed devoted AC Milan fans.

Waleed Alahmed said: “Milan is going to win because of their new manager, (Sergio) Conceicao. I think his way of playing is very good and if (winger Rafael) Leao is there, Milan is going to win.”

After just one week at the helm, Conceicao has now earned his first trophy.

The hosting of the 37th Italian Supercup aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Quality of Life program and the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It is a part of the country’s plan to continue hosting major global sporting events.

The Ministry of Sports organized the event, which was hosted by the Kingdom for the fifth time.


Al-Jabalain’s Leo Lacroix targeting another King Cup upset against Al-Raed

Updated 06 January 2025
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Al-Jabalain’s Leo Lacroix targeting another King Cup upset against Al-Raed

  • The first division team have already beaten Al-Fayha and Al-Ettifaq in the competition to reach Monday’s quarterfinal

LONDON: Only twice in the history of the King Cup has a club from outside the Saudi Pro League made it to the competition’s final, with Al-Riyadh in 1978 and Al-Taawoun in 1990 doing so but suffering defeat at the last hurdle.

This year, Saudi First Division team Al-Jabalain is the unlikely outfit aiming to follow in those footsteps. Having already beaten professional league opposition in the first two rounds — Al-Fayha and then Al-Ettifaq — Jorge Mendonca’s players now face Al-Raed in the quarterfinals on Monday.

Al-Jabalain, currently seventh in the first division table — but just four points off the automatic promotion places — is the final second-tier side left standing in the 2024-2025 King Cup. Despite being the overwhelming underdogs, Swiss defender Leo Lacroix — scorer of the opening goal against Ettifaq in the last 16 — insists the pressure is off him and his teammates when they travel to Buraidah.

“We won our last league game (1-0 against Al-Jandal) and the team is feeling very confident,” Lacroix told Arab News in an exclusive interview. “We can’t wait to play the game and we know that, like the last rounds, we don’t have any pressure because normally the pro league team needs to win.

“I think it’s history for the club already to play a King’s Cup quarterfinal; to reach the semifinal will be something very massive for the players and for Al-Jabalain.”

When they faced Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in the last 16 back in October, few gave Jabalain any chance of victory. Although Demarai Gray, Karl Toko Ekambi and Jack Hendry did not feature, Ettifaq still had an 11 stacked with Vitinha, Alvaro Medran, Gigi Wijnaldum, Seko Fofana and Joao Costa, while striker Moussa Dembele came off the bench.

But a spirited performance at their Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaed Sports City Stadium saw the team from Hail — in the Kingdom’s northwest — cause a major King Cup upset. Lacroix, the former Basel and Hamburg center-back, set Jabalain on their way with the game’s opening goal, before second-half strikes from Kaka Mendes and Saad Al-Selouli secured the historic victory.

“I think nobody except us believed that it was possible to win the game,” Lacroix said. “But the team was focused and ready to play a big match. On a personal level I really enjoyed this challenge because when I was playing in Basel, Hamburg, every weekend you had a big team with a top striker and you must be 100 percent focused.

“Obviously you see Steven Gerrard on the side of the pitch and then players like Moussa Dembele, who I played against when I was at Saint-Etienne and he was at Lyon. I love playing against these big strikers.”

Lacroix will have his hands full again on Monday, with Karim El-Berkaoui likely to be leading Al-Raed’s line. The Morocco forward has netted five goals in seven Saudi Pro League games this season, including one against reigning champions Al-Hilal last time out in December.

But this is nothing new for Lacroix, who has been required to mark some of the game’s best forwards during his career. He has also faced Neymar and Edinson Cavani at PSG and, most memorably, legendary Manchester City marksman Sergio Aguero.

Two years after helping FC Sion to a pair of creditable Europa League draws with Liverpool, Lacroix was on loan at FC Basel when the Swiss champions faced City in the 2017-2018 UEFA Champions League last 16. He played both legs of the tie, with the first ending in a 4-0 humbling but the second seeing Basel claim an impressive 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium.

“I always wanted to play in a Champions League game and this was an amazing experience,” Lacroix said. “Just to listen to the music before the game was a big dream. Then you are playing against only big players: Aguero, (Ilkay) Gundogan, (Leroy) Sane, (Raheem) Sterling, (Kevin) De Bruyne, Fernandinho, (Vincent) Kompany.

“Aguero was of course challenging. With strikers like him, if you give them 10 cm they can do something that you have never seen before and score. You have to try to live in their mind and anticipate what they want to do but it is not easy.

“I will remember forever playing this game against a team that I think was the best in the Champions League, even though they didn’t go on to win it that year.”

With his extensive European experience — and the fact he speaks six languages — it is no surprise that Lacroix has emerged as a leader both in the Al-Jabalain dressing room and on the pitch for his Portuguese coach Mendonca. It is a responsibility that the defender relishes.

“I’m always talking with everyone and I don’t like it if you see a group of Saudi players and then a group of foreign players,” Lacroix said. “Any good team needs to feel this sense that you are a community together. When you do this in football you can achieve great things.

“I have really enjoyed working with the Saudi players. Guys like (midfielders) Eyad Madani and Abdulaziz Majrashi, and our striker Fahad (Al-Juhani) who really has such a great mentality. There is also our winger Khalil (Al-Habsi) — a player I think can have a really big career in Saudi Arabia or even outside.

“I want to help them but of course I can learn from them too and we can find solutions together.”

Lacroix and his teammates will certainly need to be united if they are to cause another King Cup upset on Monday, though with Al-Raed currently sitting 12th in the Saudi Pro League table it feels somewhat achievable for Al-Jabalain.

The center-back thinks his team has nothing to lose and hopes that another positive result can also help ignite a successful league promotion challenge.

“The great thing about football is that you never can say ‘this team is going to win for sure,’” Lacroix said. “Anything can happen and I think Monday we go there to play the best we can to make another special day for this club.

“I’m very glad to be here and hope in five months we can speak about promotion. We have shown in the Cup that we can compete with these teams and of course this is the goal.

“I think we are in good shape and I hope we can see that the players fight to make something historic for the club against Al-Raed. I am sure that if we can qualify for the semifinal, the people and other clubs in Saudi Arabia will start to see Al-Jabalain with different eyes.”


‘Beautiful Saudi Arabia’: Tammy Abraham thanks local fans for inspiring Milan semifinal win over Juventus

Updated 04 January 2025
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‘Beautiful Saudi Arabia’: Tammy Abraham thanks local fans for inspiring Milan semifinal win over Juventus

  • AC Milan scored twice in the final 20 minutes to beat Juve 2-1 in the EA Sports FC Italian Supercup in Riyadh; face city rivals Inter in Monday’s final at Al-Awwal Park
  • ‘It was a beautiful atmosphere in a beautiful country. We’re so happy to be here and we can hear the fans singing the whole game’ – Tammy Abraham, AC Milan

RIYADH: Tammy Abraham thanked the fans at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh for inspiring AC Milan to the EA Sports FC Italian Supercup final with a comeback 2-1 win over Juventus, as he called Saudi Arabia “a beautiful country.”

England striker Abraham made a big impact with his forward play after coming on for the last half hour to help AC Milan overturn a 1-0 deficit and seal a spot versus city rivals Inter in Monday night’s final.

Juventus had taken the lead in the 21st minute when Kenan Yildiz thudded high past AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan at his near post after being played through by Samuel Mbangula.

The match turned on its head, however, in the final 20 minutes. Firstly, Christian Pulisic blasted home from the penalty spot, then AC Milan substitute Yunus Musah’s low cross from the right took a wicked deflection off Federico Gatti and spun into the far corner of the net.

The turnaround was first inspired and then greeted with raptures by the AC Milan fans packed into the 25,000 capacity Riyadh stadium on Friday night — and Abraham was very grateful.

Abraham said: “Thank to you everyone who came to watch the game and supported us today. It was a beautiful atmosphere in a beautiful country, a beautiful support. We’re so happy to be here and we can hear the fans singing the whole game. We’re so thankful for them supporting us.

“It’s my first time in this beautiful country and I’m so happy to be here. I knew how beautiful it was before I arrived but coming here you see more and I feel we’re very privileged to host this tournament in this country and the support, like I said, has been amazing. See you all in the final on Monday!”

Abraham’s contribution from the substitutes’ bench delighted Sergio Conceicao in his debut as AC Milan manager. The Portuguese, who took over from compatriot Paulo Fonseca, now has the opportunity to win a trophy in just his second match in charge.

Conceicao said: “We did many mistakes in the first half, but we changed the game in the second half. We need to be brave and believe in what we do. We changed strategy and that was a good one. I noticed strong teamwork, the players united, and I’m happy about that.”

Conceicao was denied the opportunity of playing against son Francisco, the Juventus winger. Juventus manager Thiago Motta said that during the warm-up the No. 7 sustained “a little muscular issue, and he couldn’t play.”

The Juve wideman was instead replaced by Yildiz who, as well as his goal, tested Maignan with a fizzing drive in the first half from outside of the box that was palmed away by the French keeper.

AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez passed up a gilt-edged chance in the 55th minute when he spooned wide after a ricochet from a corner.

After Pulisic and the own-goal put AC Milan in front, however, the Rossoneri could have extended their lead when Michele Di Gregorio superbly saved the American’s dink following excellent work from Tammy Abraham.

The last kick of the match saw Gatti’s close-range shot deflected wide to leave Juventus defeated and AC Milan delighted.

Juventus manager Motta added: “We did a great first half, we took control and scored. In the second half we were able to close the game, but some mistakes were crucial. We need to work every day in order to improve. I truly believe that we have the abilities to perform better. Right away in a defeat, it is hard to find something positive. We will analyze the whole performance and we will do our best to improve.”

The EA Sports FC Supercup is being staged in Saudi Arabia for the fifth time. AC Milan entered the competition as runners-up of last season’s Serie A, while Juventus were included as Coppa Italia winners. Serie A champions Inter Milan, the current Supercup holders and going for three trophies in a row in Riyadh, won Serie A, while Atalanta, who Inter beat 2-0 on Thursday, lost to Juve in May’s Coppa Italia final.