{
  "id": 7134572,
  "title": "Al-Ahli coach says team ready for Pakhtakor in AFC Champions League opener",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/al-ahli-coach-says-team-ready-for-pakhtakor-in-afc-champions-league",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-13T16:15:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ajel English",
    "slug": "ajel-english",
    "url": "https://english.ajel.sa/sports/w5zvg4zcv"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Al-Ahli coach Marino Bosic affirmed his team's preparedness to confront Uzbekistan's Pakhtakor in the AFC Champions League Elite opener, lauding the fan support and the squad's determination. The match is scheduled for tomorrow at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, marking the beginning of Al-Ahli's continental journey. Bosic underscored the significance of the Pakhtakor encounter, emphasizing it as the inaugural match in the prestigious competition and highlighting the intensity and competitiveness against formidable opponents. He noted that playing in front of the Al-Ahli supporters provides an added incentive for the players, aiming to achieve a favorable outcome. Bosic stressed that the coaching team and players are committed to meeting fan expectations and maintaining the high level of performance that comes with being defending champions. He expressed pride in the team's recent advancements, reaffirming his faith in an aggressive style centered on creating opportunities and asserting their dominance on the field. Bosic acknowledged the team is in a technical development stage, which demands continuous effort, despite the limited training time due to a hectic fixture list. However, he appreciated the steadfast support from Al-Ahli fans. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli player Francisco Trincão expressed his enthusiasm to deliver a robust performance against Pakhtakor and contribute to a positive result, serving as the team's backbone regardless of his role. Trincão affirmed his dedication to contributing his best to the team's objectives this season and expressed gratitude for the continuous backing from Al-Ahli supporters.",
  "summary": "Marino Bosic says Al-Ahli are fully prepared to face Pakhtakor in their AFC Champions League Elite opener, praising fan support and the team's ambition.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
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      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/weekend-warmup-three-things-we-learned-about-bayern-munichs-champions",
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      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/ouaddou-slams-pirates-showboating-after-champions-league-win",
        "published": "2026-09-13T10:14:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "New era beckons for holders Al-Ahli ahead of Asian Champions League title defence",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/new-era-beckons-for-holders-al-ahli-ahead-of-asian-champions-league",
        "published": "2026-09-13T12:00:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Pakhtakor coach says team ready for Al-Ahli clash in AFC Champions League",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/pakhtakor-coach-says-team-ready-for-al-ahli-clash-in-afc-champions",
        "published": "2026-09-13T14:34:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "CAF Champions League: Rivers United crash out after home draw against San Pedro",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/caf-champions-league-rivers-united-crash-out-after-home-draw-against",
        "published": "2026-09-13T20:16:16.000Z"
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        "title": "Rivers United crash out of CAF Champions League",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/13/rivers-united-crash-out-of-caf-champions-league",
        "published": "2026-09-13T23:30:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}