Marinos Enter Champions League Quarters Confident Against Ronaldo’s Al Nassr

Yokohama F Marinos’ interim manager, Patrick Kisnorbo, has stated that his focus remains solely on his team as they prepare for Saturday’s highly anticipated Asian Champions League quarter-final against the Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al Nassr from Saudi Arabia.

The clash will take place at Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, marking Kisnorbo’s second game in charge following his appointment after Steve Holland’s dismissal last week, which came on the back of a disappointing start to the J-League that saw the club sitting at the bottom of the league.

Kisnorbo faces a formidable lineup featuring Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, and Jhon Duran, and despite suffering a defeat in his debut match as interim manager against Urawa Red Diamonds on Sunday, he remains steadfast in his preparation for the quarter-final.

“Our primary focus is on ourselves and nothing else,” stated the former Melbourne City coach, who joined Marinos as Holland’s assistant last December.

“We are concentrating on our performance on the pitch and the game ahead. We have an outstanding squad that is ready to seize this opportunity.”

“Though I’m new here, I’ve navigated the Asian Champions League with other clubs and understand the expectations. Ultimately, you want to compete against the best, and now we have that chance.”

Marinos reached the final in the 2024 edition of the tournament, where they were defeated over two legs by Al Ain from the UAE. However, the significant financial clout of the Saudi teams means the Japanese side enters this match as the underdogs.

Nonetheless, last year’s loss continues to fuel the Marinos players’ determination.

“I was extremely disappointed with last year’s final,” said defender Katsuya Nagato. “The key thing in tomorrow’s match is that we are here to win the tournament.”

“On the field, it’s 11 versus 11, and that’s where we start. There’s nothing to fear.”

Al-Nassr coach Stefano Pioli has played down suggestions that Marinos’ poor start to the season will influence the match’s outcome.

“Their league position doesn’t concern us,” he remarked. “We recognise that Japanese teams are technically proficient and can pose a threat if we’re not fully prepared for the challenge.”

“At this level, the competition is inherently unpredictable, and that’s the beauty of it.”