6 months ago
5
Rob DawsonJul 3, 2025, 08:32 PM ET
ORLANDO -- Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi has admitted Rúben Neves and João Cancelo person recovered it "difficult" to hole for the FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal against Fluminense pursuing the decease of their planetary teammate Diogo Jota.
Liverpool guardant Jota, 28, died successful a car clang successful Spain connected Thursday alongside his member André Silva.
Neves and Cancelo person some represented Portugal alongside Jota and were informed of the quality portion successful the U.S. with nine broadside Al Hilal, who look Fluminense successful Orlando connected Friday.
"We each cognize it's a precise bittersweet time due to the fact that of what happened to Diogo and André," Inzaghi told a quality league connected Thursday. "These things should ne'er happen. We're each alert of the tragedy. We person 2 Portugal players Rúben Neves and João Cancelo who were friends to them.
"Today has been a precise hard time for each of us. We tried to enactment successful the aforesaid mode but the ambiance was different. It's a very, precise bittersweet tragedy."
Cancelo was among a fig of teammates to station a tribute to Jota pursuing the news.
"Today, we didn't conscionable aftermath up without 2 players," helium posted connected societal media. "Today, 3 children woke up without their father. Today, a parent and a begetter woke up without their 2 sons.
"Today, a woman woke up without her hubby by her side. Today, we each woke up successful shock."
Al Hilal and Fluminense volition look disconnected successful the lone quarterfinal which does not see a European team, with the Brazilian broadside reaching the past 8 by beating home rivals Botafogo successful the circular of 16.
Coach Renato Gaucho told his players to "make history" erstwhile they enactment up astatine Camping World Stadium.
The 62-year-old besides branded his squad the "ugly duckling" of the quarterfinalists due to the fact that they don't person the aforesaid fiscal resources arsenic Al Hilal -- backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund -- oregon European heavyweights similar Real Madrid, Bayern Munich oregon Chelsea.
"We are surviving this magical infinitesimal with Fluminenese," said Gaucho. "We person the accidental of playing successful the semifinals among the champion teams successful the world. I don't cognize erstwhile different accidental similar this volition come, if ever.
"Looking astatine each of these teams [in the quarterfinals] Fluminense is the disfigured duckling, successful fiscal presumption astatine least.
"Football is decided connected the pitch. We person definite difficulties erstwhile it comes to the fund truthful determination is simply a spread with them [Al-Hilal]. Outside the transportation they person antithetic conditions financially, but connected the transportation it's a antithetic story."
