Al-Ittihad coach Jens Wissing has defended Youssef En-Nesyri after sections of the club’s supporters booed the Morocco international during the 3-2 victory over Al Hazem.
En-Nesyri started the match but was substituted after 61 minutes without scoring or providing an assist. His departure was greeted by jeers from some Al-Ittihad supporters who were unhappy with his attacking contribution.
The reaction contrasted with the impact of Steven Bergwijn, who played a key role in Al-Ittihad’s attacking performance.
Wissing, however, insisted he remains firmly behind the striker and highlighted En-Nesyri’s contribution beyond goals.
“Youssef En-Nesyri is one of my best players. Since my arrival, he has been among the best and I do not care what the media or the public say about him.”
The German coach added that although En-Nesyri is currently struggling in front of goal, his work rate remains valuable to the team.
“He may lack success in front of goal, but he puts in a huge amount of effort and that is very important to me.”
The defence comes as En-Nesyri continues to search for consistency since moving to Saudi Arabia. The former Sevilla striker has scored three goals in seven appearances for Al-Ittihad in all competitions.
His international position has also become less secure. After losing prominence under Walid Regragui, En-Nesyri was subsequently left out of Mohamed Ouahbi’s plans and did not feature at the 2026 World Cup.
His club career has also experienced considerable movement, with his time at Fenerbahce ending amid uncertainty before his eventual move to Al-Ittihad.
At 29, En-Nesyri still possesses significant experience at the highest level, but his recent struggles have increased the pressure on him to deliver consistently in front of goal.
For now, Wissing has made his position clear: the striker retains the coach’s confidence despite the growing frustration among sections of the Al-Ittihad support.
