Al-Ittihad Appoints Sergio Conceicao as New Head Coach

 

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🆕 Al-Ittihad Appoint Sérgio Conceição as New Coach

Keywords: Al-Ittihad new coach, Sérgio Conceição appointment, Saudi Pro League news, Laurent Blanc sacked, Al-Ittihad 2025-26

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📢 The Big Change

Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad have named Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição as their new head coach, on a deal running until 2028. 

He replaces Laurent Blanc, who was dismissed after a 2-0 defeat to rivals Al-Nassr in late September. The loss dropped Ittihad to third in the league, adding pressure on Blanc, who had been in charge for about 14 months. 

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🔍 Why Conceição

Sérgio Conceição previously managed FC Porto with success, winning multiple Portuguese league titles. 

He has more recently been at AC Milan, though his time there ended in May after a disappointing Serie A season. 

At Ittihad, the expectation is that he will bring back stability, sharpen up defensive discipline, and compete strongly both domestically and in Asian competitions. 

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⚽ What This Means for the Club

Ittihad will hope that Conceição can restore their champion form, especially after the faltering recent results. 

The timing is crucial: with their league title to defend, and expectations high from fans.

The new coach comes with pressure — both to win and to implement a style that matches Ittihad’s ambitions.

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✅ Final Thoughts

Sérgio Conceição’s appointment marks a big moment for Al-Ittihad. If he hits the ground running, this could be the start of a strong era. But with high expectations comes big pressure — both internally and from the Saudi Pro League landscape.